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FND  TO  RISE; 


HAEET    WALTON'S   MOTTO 


BY 

HORATIO    ALGER,     Jk., 

AUTHOR     OF      "RAGGED    DICK     SERffiS,"     "TATTERED    TOM     SERIES," 
"CAMPAIGN  SERIES,"    "LUCK  AND  PLUCK  SERIES,"  ETC. 


O>«*^0 


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COK.  ■W'ASniNGTON  AND  EROMFIELD  STKEETS, 

BOSTON. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1873,  by 

A.    K.    LORING, 

In  the  office  of  the  Libiarian  of  Congress,  at  Washingtoii, 


Bockwel!  &  Churchill,  Printers  and  Stereotypors, 
122  Washington  Street,  Boston. 


^\r  A  R,  E     J3.     G- A  Y, 


THIS  VOLUME 


IS  DEDICATED  BY  HIS   COUSIN, 


THE  AUTHOR. 


PUEFACE. 


"  Bound  to  Rise  "  probably  expresses  tlio 
determination  of  many  boys  who  will  read  this 
story.  It  is  written  in  part  for  the  encourage- 
ment of  those  who  are  actuated  by  this  worthy 
ambition,  and,  without  professing  to  be  the 
biography  of  any  particular  person,  will,  with 
its  sequel,  have  some  reference  to  the  struggles 
and  experiences  of  two  men  who  have  fought 
their  way  from  poverty  and  obscurity  to  a  high 
place  on  the  roll  of  distinguished  Americans. 
The  3^oung  hero  is  represented,  not  as  an  excep- 
tional character,  but  as  a  fair  example  of  a 
sturdy  and  energetic  country-boy ;  and  the  cir- 
cumstances which  surround  him  and  the  helps 
of  which  he  avails  himself  are  of  a  character 
familiar  to  most  of  my  readers. 

Writing  this  preface  abroad,  after  having 
visited,  for  a  second  time,  some  of  the  leading 
countries  of  Europe,  I  am  able  to  confirm  what 

7 


Vlll  PREFACE. 

has  so  often  been  asserted,  that  nowhere  here, 
not  even  in  the  Swiss  republic,  of  which  I  am 
a  temporary  resident,  are  such  opportunities 
afforded  to  those  who  wish  to  rise,  as  in 
America.  We  hear,  indeed,  occasional  in- 
stances of  prominent  men  who  have  risen  from 
the  ranks ;  but  what  is  rnre  and  occasional  in 
Europe  is  the  rule  with  us. 

Let  this  thought  stimulate  the  ambition  of 
those  boys,  who,  like  Harry  Walton,  are  ham- 
pered by  poverty  and  limited  advantages,  and 
teach  them  that  an  honorable  position  in  life 
may  be  attained  by  those  who  are  willing  to 
work  for  it. 

Geneva,  Switzerland,  September  1,  1873. 


BOUND  TO   RISE; 

OE, 

HARHY  WALTON'S  MOTTO. 


CHAPTER    I. 


THE   SICK   COW. 


"  Sit  up  to  the  table,  children,  breakfast's  ready." 
The  speaker  was  a  woman  of  middle  age,  not  good 
looking  in  the  ordinary  acceptation  of  the  term,  but 
nevertheless  she  looked  good.  She  was  dressed  with 
extreme  plainness,  in  a  cheap  calico ;  but  though 
cheap  the  dress  was  neat.  The  children  she  ad- 
dressed were  six  in  number,  varying  in  age  from 
twelve  to  four.  The  oldest,  Harry,  the  hero  of  the 
present  story,  was  a  broad-shouldered,  sturdy  boy, 
with  a  frank,  open  face,  resolute,  though  good- 
natured. 

"  Father  isn't  here,"  said  Fanny,  the  second  child. 


10  BOUND  TO  nisE;  on, 

"  He'll  be  in  directly.  He  went  to  the  store,  and 
lie  may  stop  as  he  comes  back  to  milk." 

The  table  was  set  in  the  centre  of  the  room, 
covered  with  a  coarse  table-cloth.  The  breakfast 
provided  was  hardly  of  a  kind  to  tempt  an  epicure. 
There  was  a  loaf  of  bread  cut  into  slices,  and  a  dish 
of  boiled  potatoes.  There  was  no  butter  and  no 
meat,  for  the  family  were  ycvy  i30or. 

The  children  sat  up  to  the  table  and  began  to  eat. 
They  were  blessed  with  good  appetites,  and  did  not 
grumble,  as  the  majority  of  my  readers  would  have 
done,  at  the  scanty  fare.  They  had  not  been  accus- 
tomed to  anything  better,  and  their  appetites  were 
not  pampered  by  indulgence. 

They  had  scarcely  commenced  the  meal  when  the 
father  entered.  Like  his  wife,  he  was  coarsely 
dressed.  In  personal  appearance  he  resembled  his 
oldest  boy.  His  wife  looking  up  as'-  he  entered  per- 
ceived that  he  looked  troubled. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  Hiram?  "  she  asked.  '•  You 
look  as  if  something  had  happened." 

"  Nothing  has  happened  yet,"  he  answered ;  "  but 
I  am  afraid  we  are  ffoing  to  lose  the  cow." 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  11 

"  Going  to  lose  the  cow ! "  repeated  Mrs.  Waltou 
in  dismay. 

"  She  is  sick.  I  don't  know  what's  the  matter 
with  her." 

"Perhaps  it  is  only  a  trifle.  She  may  get  over  it 
during  the  day." 

"  She  may,  but  I'm  afraid  she  won't.  Farmer 
Henderson's  cow  was  taken  just  that  way  last  fall, 
and  he  couldn't  save  her." 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do?" 

"  I  have  been  to  Elil^u  Perkins,  and  he's,  coming 
over  to  see  what  he  can  do  for  her.  He  can  save  her 
if  anybody  can." 

The  children  listened  to  this  conversation,  and, 
young  as  they  were,  the  elder  ones  understood  the 
calamity  involved  in  the  possible  loss  of  the  cow. 
They  had  but  one,  and  that  was  relied  upon  to  fm- 
nish  milk  for  the  famity,  and,  besides  a  small  amount 
of  bread  and  cheese,  not  for  home  consumption,  but 
for  sale  at  the  store  in  exchange  for  necessary  gro- 
ceries. The  "Waltons  were  too  poor  to  indulge  in 
these  luxuries. 

Tne  father  was  a  farmer  on  a  small  scale  ;  that  is, 


12  BOUND  TO  rise;  ok, 

lie  cultivated  ten  acres  of  poor  land,  out  of  which  he 

r 

extorted  a  living  for  his  'family,  or  rather  a  partial 
living.  Besides  this  he  worked  for  his  neighbors 
by  the  day,  sometimes  as  farm  laborer,  sometimes  at 
odd  jobs  of  different  kinds,  for  he  was  a  sort  of  Jack 
at  all  trades.  But  his  income,  all  told,  was  misera- 
bly small,  and  required  the  utmost  economy  and 
good  management  on  the  part  of  his  wife  to  make  it 
equal  to  the  necessitj'  of  a  growing  family  of  children. 
Hiram  Walton  was  a  man  of  good  natural  abili- 
ties, though  of  not  much  education,  and  after  half 
an  hour's  conversation  with  him  one  would  say, 
unhesitatingly,  that  he  deserved  a  better  fate  than 
this  hand-to-hand  struggle  with  povertj'.  But  he  was 
one  of  those  men  who,  for  some  unaccountable 
reason,  never  get  on  in  the  world.  They  can  do  a 
great  many  things  creditably,  but  do  not  have  the 
knack  of  conquering  fortune.  So  Hiram  had  always 
been  a  poor  man,  and  probabl}'  always  would  be 
poor.  He  was  discontented  at  times,  and  often  felt 
the  disadvantages  of  his  lot,  but  he  was  lacking  in 
energy  and  ambition,  and  perhaps  this  was  the  chief 
reason  wh}^  he  did  not  succeed  better. 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  13 

After  breakfast  Elihu  Perkins,  the  "  cow -doctor," 
came  to  tlie  door.  He  was  an  old  man  with  iron- 
gxSij  hair,  and  alwaj^s  wore  steel-bowed  spectacles ; 
at  least  for  twenty  j-ears  nobody  in  the  town  could 
remember  ever  having  seen  him  without  them.  It 
was  the  general  opinion  that  he  wore  them  during 
the  night.  Once  when  questioned  on  the  subject,  he 
laughingly  said  that  he  "  couldn't  see  to  go  to  sleep 
without  his  specs." 

"Well,  neighbor  "Walton,  so  the  cow's  sick?"  he 
said,  opening  the  outer  door  without  ceremony. 

"Yes,  Elihu,  she  looks  down  in  the  mouth.  I 
hope  you  can  save  her." 

"  I  kin  tell  better  when  I've  seen  the  critter. 
When  you've  got  through  breakfast,  we'll  go  out  to 
the  barn." 

"  I've  got  through,  now,"  said  Mr.  Walton,  whose 
anxiety  for  the  cow  had  diminished  his  appetite. 

"May  I  go  too,  father?"  asked  Hany,  rising  from 
the  table. 

"  Yes,  if  you  want  to." 

The  three  went  out  to  the  small,  weather-beaten 
building  which  served  as  a  barn  for  the  want  of  a 


14  BOUND  TO  nisE;  on, 

better.  It  was  small,  but  still  large  enough  to  con- 
tain all  the  crops  which  Mr,  ^  "Walton  could  raise. 
Probabl}^  he  could  have  got  more  out  of  the  land  if 
he  had  had  means  to  develop  its  resources ;  but  it 
was  naturally  barren,  and  needed  much  more  manure 
than  he  was  able  to  spread  over  it.  So  the  3'ield  to 
an  acre  was  correspondingly  small,  and  likely,  from 
year  to  year,  to  grow  smaller  rather  than  larger. 

They  opened  the  small  barn-door,  which  led  to  the 
part  occupied  by  the  cow's  stall.  The  cow  was 
lying  down,  breathing  with  difficulty.  Elihu  Per- 
kins looked  at  her  sharply  through  his  "  specs." 

"What  do  you  think  of  her,  neighbor  Perkins?" 
asked  the  owner,  anxiously. 

The  cow-doctor  shifted  a  piece  of  tobacco  from 
one  cheek  to  the  other,  and  looked  wise. 

"  I  think  the  critter's  nigh  her  end,"  he  said,  at 
last. 

"  Is  she  so  bad  as  that?  " 

"Tears  like  it.  She  looks  like  Farmer  Hender- 
son's that  died  a  while  ago.     I  couldn't  save  her." 

"  Save  my  cow,  if  jou  can.  I  don't  know  what  I 
should  do  without  her." 


HARRY   WALTON^S  MOTTO.  15 

"  I'll  do  vcij  best,  but  you  mustn't  blame  me  if  I 
can't  bring  her  round.  You  see  there's  this  about 
dumb  critters  that  maizes  'era  harder  to  cure  than 
human  bein's.  The}''  can't  tell  their  symptoms,  nor 
how  they  feel ;  and  that's  why  it's  harder  to  be  a 
cow-doctor  than  a  doctor  for  humans.  You've  got  to 
go  by  the  looks,  and  looks  is  deceivin'.  If  I  could 
onl}'  ask  the  critter  how  she  feels,  and  where  she 
feels  worst,  I  might  have  some  guide  to  go  hy.  Not 
but  I've  had  my  luck.  There's  more'n  one  of  'em 
I've  saved,  if  I  do  say  it  m3^self." 

"  I  know  you  can  save  her  if  any  one  can,  Elihu," 
said  Mr.  Walton,  who  appreciated  the  danger  of  the 
cow,  and  was  anxious  to  have  the  doctor  begin. 

"  Yes,  I  guess  I  know  about  as  much  about  them 
critters  as  anybod}',"  said  the  garrulous  old  man, 
who  had  a  proper  appreciation '  of  his  dignity  and 
attainments  as  a  cow-doctor.  "  I've  had  as  good 
success  as  any  one  I  know  on.  If  I  can't  cure  her, 
you  may  call  her  a  gone  case.  Have  you  got  any 
hot  water  in  the  house  ?  " 

"I'll  go  in  and  see." 

"  I'll  go  father,"  said  Harry. 


16  BOUND  TO  rise;  on, 

"Well,  come  right  back.  We  have  no  time  to 
lose." 

HaiT}'-  appreciated  the  need  of  haste  as  well  as  his 
father,  and  speedily  reappeared  with  a  pail  of  hot 
water. 

"  That's  right,  Harry,"  said  his  father.  *'  Now 
you'd  better  go  into  the  house  and  do  j^our  chores, 
so  as  not  to  be  late  for  school." 

Harry  would  have  liked  to  remain  and  watch  the 
steps  which  were  being  taken  for  the  recovery  of  the 
cow ;  but  he  knew  he  had  barely  time  to  do  the 
"  chores "  referred  to  before  school,  and  he  was  far 
from  wishing  to  be  late  there.  He  had  an  ardent 
thirst  for  learning,  and,  young  as  he  was,  ranked 
first  in  the  district  school  which  he  attended.  I  am 
not  about  to  present  my  young  hero  as  a  marvel  of 
learning,  for  he  was  not  so.  He  had  improved  what 
opportunities  he  had  enjoyed,  but  these  were  very 
limited.  Since  he  was  nine  years  of  age,  his  school- 
ing had  been  for  the  most  part  limited  to  eleven 
weeks  in  the  year.  There  was  a  summer  as  well  as 
a  winter  school ;  but  in  the  summer  he  only  attended 
irregularly,   being  needed  to  work  at  home.     His 


^"j',!lf!iiJ'^l'iMH  I    \ 


j^  J&^i^ 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  17 

father  could  not  afford  to  hii-e  help,  and  there  were 
many  ways  in  which  Harry,  though  j'oung,  could 
help  him.  So  it  happened  that  Harrj^,  though  a 
tolerably  good  scholar,  was  deficient  in  many  re- 
spects, on  account  of  the  limited  nature  of  his 
opportunities. 

He  set  to  work  at  once  at  the  chores.  First  he 
went  to  the  wood-pile  and  sawed  and  split  a  quantity 
of  wood,  enough  to  keep  the  kitchen  stove  supplied 
till  he  came  home  again  from  school  in  the  afternoon. 
This  duty  was  regularly  required  of  him.  His 
father  never  touched  the  saw  or  the  axe,  but  de- 
volved upon  Harry  the  general  charge  of  the  fuel 
department. 

After  sawing  and  splitting  what  he  thought  to  be 
sufficient,  he  carried  it  into  the  house  by  armfuls, 
and  piled  it  up  near  the  kitchen  stove.  He  next 
drew  several  buckets  of  water  from  the  well,  for  it 
was  washing-day,  brought  up  some  vegetables  from 
the  cellar  to  boil  for  dinner,  and  then  got  ready  for 
school. 


18  BOUND  TO  rise;  on, 


CHAPTER    II. 

SQUIRE    GREEN. 

Efforts  for  the  recovery  of  the  cow  went  on. 
Elihu  Perkins  exhausted,  all  his  science  in  her  be- 
half. I  do  not  propose  to  detail  his  treatment,  be- 
cause I  am  not  sure  whether  it  was  the  best,  and 
possibly  some  of  my  readers  might  adopt  it  under 
similar  circumstances,  and  then  blame  me  for  its 
unfortunate  issue.  It  is  enough  to  ssij  that  the  cow 
grew  rapidly  worse  in  spite  of  the  hot-water  treat- 
ment, and  about  eleven  o'clock  breathed  her  last. 
The  sad  intelligence  was  announced  hj  Elihu,  who 
first  perceived  it. 

"  The  critter's  gone,"  he  said.  "  'Taint  no  use 
doin'  anything  more." 

"  The  cow's  dead ! "  repeated  Mr.  "Walton,  sori'ow- 
fully.  He  had  known  for  an  hour  that  this  would  be 
the  probable  termination  of  the  disease.     Still  while 


HABBY  Walton's  motto.  19 

there  was  life  there  was  hope.  Now  both  went  out 
together. 

"Yes,  the  critter's  dead  !"  said  Elihu,  philosophi- 
cally, for  he  lost  nothing  by  her.  "  It  was  so  to  be, 
and  there  wa'n't  no  help  for  it.  That's  what  I 
thought  from  the  fust,  but  I  was  willin'  to  tr}'." 

"Wasn't  there  an^-thing  that  could  save  her?" 

Elihu  shook  his  head  decidedly. 

"  If  she  could  a-been  saved,  I  could  'ave  done  it," 
he  said.  "What  I  don't  know  about  cow-diseases 
aint  wuth  knowin'." 

Every  one  is  more  or  less  conceited.  Elihu's  con- 
ceit was  as  to  his  scientific  knowledge  on  the  subject 
of  cows  and  horses  and  then-  diseases.  He  spoke  so 
confidently  that  Mr.  Walton  did  not  venture  to  dis- 
pute him. 

"  I  s'pose  you're  right,  Elihu,"  he  said ;  "  but  it's 
hard  on  me." 

"Yes,  neighbor,  it's  hard  on  you,  that's  a  fact. 
What  was  she  wuth?" 

"  I  wouldn't  have  taken  forty  dollars  for  her  yes- 
terday." 

"  Fort}^  dollars  is  a  gooa  sum." 


20  BOUND  TO  rise;  on, 

"  It  is  to  me.  I  haven't  got  five  dollars  in  the 
world  outside  of  mj^  farm," 

"  I  wish  I  could  help  3-0U,  neighbor  "Walton,  but 
I'm  a  poor  man  myself." 

"  I  know  you  are,  Elihu.  Somehow  it  don't  seem 
fair  that  my  only  cow  should  be  taken,  when  Squire 
Green  has  got  ten,  and  they're  all  alive  and  well. 
If  all  his  cows  should  die,  he  could  buy  as  many 
more  and  not  feel  the  loss." 

"  Squire  Green's  a  close  man." 

"  He's  mean  enough,  if  he  is  rich." 

"  Sometimes  the  richest  are  the  meanest." 

"  In  Ms  case  it  is  true." 

"  He  could  give  3'ou  a  cow  just  as  well  as  not.  If 
I  was  as  rich  as  he,  I'd  do  it." 

"  I  believe  3'ou  would,  Elihu :  but  there's  some 
difference  between  you  and  him." 

"  Maj^be  the  squire  would  lend  3'ou  mone^^  to  buy 
a  cow.  He  alwa^^s  keeps  money  to  lend  on  high 
interest." 

Mr.  Walton  reflected  a  moment,  then  said,  slowly, 
"  I  must  have  a  cow,  and  I  don't  know  of  any  other 
way,  but  I  hate  to  go  to  him." 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  21 

"  He's  the  only  man  that's  likely  to  have  money  to 
lend  in  town." 

"  Well,  I'll  go." 

"  Good  luck  to  you,  neighbor  "Walton." 

"  I  need  it  enough,"  said  Hiram  Walton,  soberly. 
"  If  it  comes,  it'll  be  the  first  time  for  a  good  many 
years." 

"  Well,  I'll  be  goin',  as  I  can't  do  no  more  good." 

Hiram  Walton  went  into  the  house,  and  a  look  at 
his  face  told  his  wife  the  news  he  brought  before  his 
lips  uttered  it. 

"  Is  she  dead,  Hiram?" 

"  Yes,  the  cow's  dead.  Forty  dollars  clean  gone," 
he  said,  rather  bitterl}-. 

"  Don't  be  discouraged,  Iliram.  It's  bad  luck, 
but  worse  things  might  happen." 

"Such  as  what?" 

"  Why,  the  house  might  burn  down,  or  —  or  some 
of  us  might  fall  sick  and  die.  It's  better  that  it 
should  be  the  cow." 

"  You're  right  there ;  but  though  it's  pleasant  to 
have  so  many  children  round,  we  sha'u't  like  to  see 
them  starving." 


22  nouxD  TO  rise;  or, 

"  They  are  not  starving  yet,  and  please  God  they 
won't  yet  a  while.     Some  help  will  come  to  us." 

Mrs.  "Walton  sometimes  felt  despondent  herself; 
but  when  she  saw  her  husband  affected,  like  a  good 
wife  she  assumed  cheerfulness,  in  order  to  raise  his 
spirits.  So  now,  things  looked  a  little  more  hopeful 
to  him,  after  he  had  talked  to  his  wife.  He  soon 
took  his  hat,  and  approached  the  door. 

"Where  are  you  going,  Hiram?"  she  asked. 

"  Going  to  see  if  Squire  Green  will  lend  me  money 
enough  to  buy  another  cow." 

"  That's  right,  Hiram.  Don't  sit  down  discour- 
aged, but  see  what  you  can  do  to  repair  the  loss." 

"  1  wish  there  was  anybody  else  to  go  to.  Squire 
Green  is  a  very  mean  man,  and  he  will  try  to  take 
advantage  of  my  need." 

"  It  is  better  to  have  a  jDoor  resource  than  none  at 
all." 

"  Well,  I'll  go  and  see  what  can  be  done." 

Squire  Green  was  the  rich  man  of  the  town.  He 
had  inherited  from  his  father,  just  as  he  came  of  age, 
a  farm  of  a  hundred  and  Mty  acres,  and  a  few  hun- 
dred dollars.     The  land  was  not  good,  and  far  from 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  23. 

productive ;  but  ho  had  scrimped  and  saved  and 
pinched  and  denied  himself,  spending  almost  noth- 
ing, till  the  little  money  which  the  farm  annually 
yielded  him  had  accumulated  to  a  considerable  sum. 
Then,  too,  as  there  were  no  banks  near  at  hand  to 
accommodate  borrowers,  the  squire  used  to  lend 
money  to  his  poorer  neighbors.  He  took  care  not 
to  exact  more  than  six  per  cent,  openl}",  but  it  was 
generally  understood  that  the  borrower  must  pay  a 
bonus  besides  to  secure  the  loan,  which,  added  to  the 
legal  interest,  gave  him  a  very  handsome  considera- 
tion for  the  use  of  his  sj)are  funds.  So  his  money 
rapidly  increased,  doubling  ever}^  five  or  six  years 
through  his  shi'ewd  mode  of  management,  and  every 
year  he  grew  more  economical.  His  wife  had  died 
ten  years  before.  She  had  worked  hard  for  very 
poor  pay,  for  the  squire's  table  was  proverbially 
meagre,  and  her  bills  for  di'ess,  judging  from  her 
appearance,  must  have  been  uncommonly  small. 

The  squire  had  one  son,  now  in  the  neighborhood 
of  thirty,  but  he  had  not  been  at  home  for  several 
years.  As  soon  as  he  attained  his  majority  he  left 
the  homestead,  and  set  out  to  seek  his  fortune  else- 


2i  BOUND  TO  rise;  OB, 

where.  He  vowed  he  wouldn't  any  longer  submit  to 
the  penurious  ways  of  the  squire.  So  the  old  man 
was  left  alone,  but  he  did  not  feel  the  solitude.  He 
had  his  gold,  and  that  was  company  enough.  A 
time  was  coming  when  the  two  must  part  compan}', 
for  when  death  should  come  he  must  leave  the  gold 
behind  ;  but  he  did  not  like  to  think  of  that,  putting 
away  the  idea  as  men  will  unpleasant  subjects.  This 
was  the  man  to  whom  Hiram  Walton  applied  for 
help  in  his  misfortune. 

"  Is  the  squire  at  home  ?  "  he  asked,  at  the  back 
door.  In  that  household  the  front  door  was  never 
used.  There  was  a  parlor,  but  it  had  not  been 
opened  since  Mrs.  Green's  funeral. 

"He's  out  to  the  barn,"  said  Hannah  Green,  a 
niece  of  the  old  man,  who  acted  as  maid  of  all  work. 

"  I'll  go  out  there." 

The  barn  was  a  few  rods  north-east  of  the  house, 
and  thither  Mr.  "Walton  directed  his  steps. 

Entering,  he  found  the  old  man  engaged  in  some 
light  work. 

"  Good-morning,  Squire  Green." 


HAHRY  Walton's  motto.  25 

"  Good-morning,  Mr.  Walton,"  returned  the 
squire. 

He  was  a  small  man,  with  a  thin  figure,  and  a  face 
deep-seamed  with  wiinkles,  more  so  than  might  have 
been  expected  in  a  man  of  his  age,  for  he  was  only 
just  turned  of  sixty ;  but  hard  work,  poor  and 
scanty  food  and  sharp  calculation,  were  responsible 
for  them. 

"  How  are  j^ou  gettin'  on?"  asked  the  squire. 

This  was  rather  a  favorite  question  of  his,  it  being 
so  much  the  custom  for  his  neighbors  to  apply  to 
him  when  in  difficulties,  so  that  their  misfortune  he 
had  come  to  regard  as  his  harvests. 

"  I've  met  with  a  loss,"  answered  Hiram  "Walton. 

"  You  don't  say  so,"  returned  the  squire,  with 
instant  attention.     "What's  happened?" 

"  My  cow  is  dead." 

"When  did  she  die?" 

"  This  morning." 

"  What  was  the  matter?" 

"  I  don't  know.  I  didn't  notice  but  that  she  was 
well  enough  last  night ;  but  this  morning  when  I 


26  BOUND  TO  rise;  or^ 

went  out  to  the  barn,  she  was  13'ing  down  breathing 
heavily." 

"Wliatdidyoudo?" 

"  I  called  in  Elihu  Perkins,  and  we  worked  over 
her  for  three  hours ;  but  it  wasn't  of  any  use ;  she 
died  half  an  hour  ago." 

"  I  hope  it  isn't  any  disease  that's  catchin',"  said 
the  squu'e  in  alarm,  thinking  of  his  ten.  "  It  would 
be  a  bad  job  if  it  should  get  among  mine." 

"It's  a  bad  job  for  me,  squire.  I  hadn't  but  one 
cow,  and  she's  gone." 

"  Just  so,  just  so.     I  s'pose  yoa'll  buy  another." 

"  Yes,  I  must  have  a  cow.  My  children  live  on 
bread  and  milk  mostly.  Then  there's  the  butter  and 
cheese,  that  I  trade  off  at  the  store  for  groceries." 

"  Just  so,  just  so.  Come  into  the  house,  neighbor 
Walton." 

The  squire  guessed  his  visitor's  business  in  ad- 
vance, and  wanted  to  take  time  to  talk  it  over.  He 
would  first  find  out  how  great  his  neighbor's  neces- 
sity was,  and  then  if  he  accommodated  him,  would 
charge  him  accordingly. 


BARRY  Walton's  motto.  27 


CHAPTEE    III. 


A   SHARP  BARGAIN. 


There  was  a  little  room  just  off  the  kitchen, 
where  the  squire  had  an  old-fashioned  desk.  Here 
it  was  that  he  transacted  his  business,  and  in  the 
desk  he  kept  his  papers.  It  was  into  this  room  that 
he  introduced  Mr.  "Walton. 

"  Set  down,  set  down,  neighbor  "Walton,"  he  said. 
"  We'll  talk  this  thing  over.  So  j^ou've  got  to  have 
a  cow  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  must  have  one. 

The  squire  fixed  his  eyes  cunningly  on  his  in- 
tended victim,  and  said,  "  Goin'  to  buy  one  in 
town?" 

"  I  don't  know  of  any  that's  for  sale." 

"  How  much  do  you  calc'late  to  pay  ?  " 

"  I  suppose  I'll  have  to  pay  thkty  dollars," 

Squire  Green  shook  his  head. 

"More'n  that,  neighbor  "Walton.     You  can't  get  a 


28  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

decent  co-n-  for  thirty  dollars.  I  hain't  got  one  that 
isn't  wuth  more,  though  I've  got  ten  in  my  barn." 

"  Thirty  dollars  is  all  I  can  afford  to  pa^-,  squire." 

"  Take  my  advice,  and  get  a  good  cow  while 
you'i-e  about  it.     It  don't  pay  to  get  a  poor  one." 

"  I'm  a  poor  man,  squire.  I  must  take  what  I  can 
get." 

"  I  aint  sure  but  I've  got  a  cow  that  will  suit  3'ou, 
—  red  with  white  spots.     She's  a  fust-rate  milker." 

" How  old  is  she?" 

"  She's  turned  of  five." 

"  How  much  do  jow.  ask  for  her  ?  " 

"  Ai-e  you  goin'  to  pay  cash  down?"  asked  the 
squire,  half  shutting  his  eyes,  and  loolring  into  the 
face  of  his  visitor. 

"  I  can't  do  that.     I'm  very  short  of  money." 

"  So  am  I,"  chimed  in  the  squire.  (He  had  two 
hundred  dollars  in  his  desk  at  that  moment  waiting 
for  profitable  investment ;  but  then  he  didn't  call  it 
exactly  a  lie  to  misrepresent  for  a  purpose.)  "  So 
am  I.     Money's  tight,  neighbor." 

"  Money's  alwaj^s  tight  with  me,  squire,"  retm-ned 
Hiram  "Walton,  with  a  sigh. 


jTAitRT  Walton's  motto.  29 

' '  W.1S  3'ou  a  meanin'  to  pay  anything  down  ?  "  in- 
quired the  squire. 

"  I  don't  see  liow  I  can." 

"  That  alters  the  case,  you  know.  I  might  as  well 
keep  the  cow,  as  to  sell  her  without  the  money 
down." 

"  I  am  willing  to  pay  interest  on  the  money." 

"  Of  com-se  that's  fair.  Wall,  neighbor,  what  do 
you  say  to  goin'  out  to  see  the  cow  ?  " 

"  Is  she  in  the  barn  ?  " 

"  No,  she's  in  the  pastur'.     'Tain't  fur." 

"  I'll  go  along  with  j^ou." 

They  made  their  way  b}''  a  short  cut  across  a  corn- 
field to  the  pastiu-e,  —  a  large  ten-acre  lot,  covered 
with  a  scanty  vegetation.  The  squire's  cows  could 
not  be  said  to  live  in  clover. 

"  That's  the  critter,"  he  said,  pointing  out  one  of 
the  cows  who  was  grazing  near  by.  "  Aint  she  a 
beauty  ?  " 

"  She  looks  pretty  well,"  said  Mr.  Walton,  dubi- 
ously, by  no  means  sure  that  she  would  equal  his 
lost  cow. 

"  She's  one  of  the  best  I've  got.    I  wouldn't  sell 


30  BOUND  TO  rise;  on, 

cf  it  wasn't  to  oblige.  I  aint  at  all  partic'lar,  but  I 
suppose  3'ou've  got  to  hev  a  cow." 

"  What  do  3'ou  ask  for  her,  squu-e  ? " 

"  She's  wuth  all  of  forty  dollars,"  answered  tlie 
squire,  who  knew  perfectly  well  that  a  fair  price 
would  be  about  tliirt3%  But  then  his  neighbor  must 
have  a  cow,  and  had  no  money  to  pay,  and  so  was  at 
his  mercy. 

"  That  seems  liigh,"  said  Hu'am. 

"  She's  wuth  ever}'-  cent  of  it ;  but  I  aint  nowise 
partic'lar  about  sellin'  her." 

"  Couldn't  you  say  thirty-seven?" 

"  I  couldn't  take  a  dollar  less.  I'd  rather  keep 
her.     May  be  I'd  take  thirty-eight,  cash  down." 

Hiram  Walton  shook  his  head. 

"  I  have  no  cash,"  he  said.  "  I  must  buy  on 
credit." 

"  Wall,  then,  there's  a  bargain  for  you.  I'll  let 
5"0U  have  her  for  forty  dollars,  giving  you  six  months 
to  pay  it,  at  reg'lar  interest,  six  per  cent.  Of  course 
I  expect  a  little  bonus  for  the  accommodation." 

"  I  hope  you'll  be  easy  with  me,  —  I'm  a  poor 
man,  squire." 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  31 

"  Of  course,  neighbor  ;  I'm  always  easy." 

"  That  isn't  your  reputation,"  thought  Hiram ;  but 
he  knew  that  this  was  a  thought  to  which  he  must 
not  give  expression. 

"All  I  want  is  a  fair  price  for  my  time  and 
trouble.  We'll  say  three  dollars  extra  for  the 
accommodation,  —  three  dollars  down." 

Hu-am  Walton  felt  that  it  was  a  hard  bargain  the 
squire  was  driving  with  him,  but  there  seemed  no 
help  for  it.  He  must  submit  to  the  imposition,  or 
do  without  a  cow.  There  was  no  one  else  to  whom 
he  could  look  for  help  on  any  terms.  As  to  the 
three  dollars,  his  whole  available  cash  amounted  to 
but  four  dollars,  and  it  was  for  three-quarters  of  this 
sum  that  the  squire  called.  But  the  sacrifice  must 
be  made. 

"Well,  Squire  Green,  if  that  is  your  lowest  price, 
I  suppose  I  must  come  to  it,"  he  answered,  at  last. 

"You  can't  do  no  better,"  said  the  squire,  with 
alacrity.  "  K  so  be  as  you've  made  up  j^our  mind, 
we'll  make  out  the  papers." 

"  Very  well." 


32  BOUND  TO  bise;  or^ 

"  Come  back  to  the  house.  When  do  you  want  to 
take  the  cow  ?  " 

"  I'll  drive  her  along  now,  if  you  are  willing." 

"  Why,  you  see,"  said  the  squu'e,  hesitating,  while 
a  mean  thought  entered  his  mind,  "  she's  been  feed- 
in'  in  my  pastur'  all  the  mornin',  and  I  calc'late  I'm 
entitled  to  the  next  milkin'.  You'd  better  come 
round  to-night,  just  after  milkin',  and  then  you  can 
take  her." 

"  I  didn't  think  he  was  quite  so  mean,"  passed 
through  Hiram  Walton's  mind,  and  his  lip  curved 
slightly  in  scorn,  but  he  knew  that  this  feeling  must 
be  concealed. 

"  Just  as  you  say,"  he  answered.  "  I'll  come 
round  to-night,  or  send  Harry." 

" Plow  old  is  Harry  now?  " 

"  About  fom-teen." 

"He's, got  to  be  quite  a  sizable  lad,  —  ought  to 
earn  consid'able.     Is  he  industrious?" 

"  Yes,  Harrj^  is  a  good  worker,  —  always  readjT"  to 
lend  a  hand." 

" That's  good.     Does  he  go  to  school?  " 

"  Yes,  he's  been  going  to  school  all  the  term." 


ffARRY  Walton's  motto.  33 

"  Seems  to  me  he's  old  enough  to  give  up  larnin' 
altogether.  Don't  he  know  how  to  read  and  write 
and  cipher  ?  " 

"  Yes,  he's  about  the  best  scholar  in  school." 

"  Then,  neighbor  "Walton,  take  my  advice  and 
don't  send  him  any  more.  You  need  him  at  home, 
and  he  knows  enough  to  get  along  in  the  world." 

"  I  want  him  to  learn  as  much  as  he  can.  I'd 
like  to  send  him  to  school  till  he  is  sixteen." 

"  He's  had  as  much  schoolin'  now  as  ever  I  had," 
said  the  squire,  "  and  I've  got  along  pooty  well. 
I've  been  seleckman,  and  school  committy,  and  filled 
about  every  town  office,  and  I  never  wanted  no  more 
schoolin'.  My  father  took  me  away  from  school 
when  I  was  thirteen." 

"  It  wouldn't  hurt  you  if  you  knew  a  little  more," 
thought  Hu-am,  who  remembered  very  well  the 
squire's  deficiencies  when  serving  on  the  town  school 
committee. 

"I  believe  in  learning,"  he  said.  "My  father 
used  to  say,  '  Live  and  learn.'  That's  a  good 
motto,  to  my  thinldng." 

"It  may  be  carried  too  far.     "When  a  boy's  got  to 


34  BOTPKD  TO  hise;  on, 

be  of  the  age  of  j'our  boy,  lie'd  ought  to  be  thmking 
of  workin'.  His  time  is  too  valooable  to  spend  in 
the  school-room," 

"  I  can't  agree  with  j'-ou,  squii-e.  I  think  no  time 
is  better  spent  than  the  time  that's  spent  in  learning, 
I  wish  I  could  afford  to  send  my  boy  to  college." 

"It  would  cost  a  mint  of  money,  and  wouldn't 
pay.     Better  put  him  to  some  good  business." 

That  was  the  waj^  he  treated  his  own  son,  and  for 
this  and  other  reasons,  as  soon  as  he  arrived  at 
man's  estate,  he  left  home,  which  had  never  had  any 
pleasant  associations  with  him.  His  father  wanted 
to  convert  him  into  a  mone3'-making  machine,  —  a 
mere  drudge,  working  him  hard,  and  denying  him,  as 
long  as  he  could,  even  the  common  recreations  of 
bo^^hood, — for  the  squire  had  an  idea  that  the  time 
devoted  in  play  was  foolishlj"  spent,  inasmuch  as  it 
brought  him  in  no  pecuniary  return.  He  was  wil- 
fully blind  to  the  faults  and  defects  of  his  system, 
and  their  utter  failure  in  the  case  of  his  own  son, 
and  would,  if  he  could,  have  all  the  boys  in  town 
brought  up  after  his  severely  practical  method.  But, 
fortunately  for  Harry,  Mr.  "Walton  had  very  different 


HARRY   WALTON^S  MOTTO.  35 

notions.  He  was  compelled  to  keep  his  son  home 
the  greater  part  of  the  summer,  but  it  was  against 
his  desire. 

"  No  wonder  he's  a  poor  man,"  thought  the  squire, 
after  his  visitor  returned  home.  "  He  aint  got  no 
practical  idees.  Live  and  learn  !  that's  all  nonsense. 
His  boy  looks  strong  and  able  to  work,  and  it's  fool- 
ish sendin'  him  to  school  any  longer.  That  wa'n't 
m}^  wa}^,  and  see  where  I  am,"  he  concluded,  with 
complacent  remembrances  of  his  bonds  and  mortga- 
ges and  money  out  at  interest.  "  That  was  a  pooty 
good  cow  trade,"  he  concluded.  "I  didn't  calc'late 
for  to  get  more'n  thu'ty-five  dollars  for  the  critter ; 
but  then  neighbor  "Walton  had  to  have  a  cow,  and 
had  to  pay  my  price." 

Now  for  Hiram  "Walton's  reflections. 

"  I'm  a  poor  man,"  he  said  to  himself,  as  he 
walked  slowly  homeward,  "but  I  wouldn't  be  as 
mean  as  Tom  Green  for  all  the  money  he's  worth. 
He's  made  a  hard  bargain  with  me,  but  there  was  no 
help  for  it." 


36  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 


CHAPTER    IV. 


A  COUNTRY   SCHOOL. 


Haery  kept  on  Ms  "way  to  school,  and  arrived  just 
as  the  bell  rang.  Many  of  my  readers  have  seen  a 
country  school-house,  and  will  not  be  surprised  to 
learn  that  the  one  in  which  our  hero  obtained  his 
education  was  far  from  stately  or  ornamental,  archi- 
tecturally speaking.  It  was  a  one-story  structure, 
about  thirty  feet  square,  showing  traces  of  having 
been  painted  once,  but  standing  greatly  in  need  of 
another  coat.  Within  were  sixty  desks,  ranged  in 
pau's,  with  aisles  running  between  them.  On  one 
side  sat  the  girls,  on  the  other  the  boys.  These 
were  of  all  ages  from  five  to  sixteen.  The  boj^s' 
desks  had  suffered  bad  usage,  having  been  whittled 
and  hacked,  and  marked  with  the  initials  of  the 
temporary  occupants,  with  scarcely  an  exception. 
I  never  knew  a  Yankee  boy  who  was  not  the  pos- 
sessor of  a  knife  of  some  kind,  nor  one  who  could 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  37 

resist  the  temptation  of  using  it  for  such  unlawful 
pm-poses.  Even  our  hero  shared  the  common  weak- 
ness, and  his  desk  was  distinguished  from  the  rest  by 

rudely  carved  in  a  conspicuous  place. 

The  teacher  of  the  school  for  the  present  session 
was  Nathan  Burbank,  a  country  teacher  of  good 
repute,  who  usually  taught  six  months  in  a  year,  and 
devoted  the  balance  of  the  j-ear  to  surveying  land, 
whenever  he  could  get  emplo^Tnent  in  that  line,  and 
the  cultivation  of  half  a  dozen  acres  of  land,  which 
kept  him  in  vegetables,  and  enabled  him  to  keep  a 
cow.  Altogether  he  succeeded  in  making  a  fair 
living,  though  his  entire  income  would  seem  ver}' 
small  to  man}'  of  my  readers.  He  was  not  deeply 
learned,  but  his  education  was  sufficient  to  meet  the 
limited  requirements  of  a  country  school. 

This  was  the  summer  term,  and  it  is  the  usual 
custom  in  New  England  that  the  summer  schools 
should  be  taught  by  females.  But  in  this  particular 
school  the  experiment  had  been  tried,  and  didn't 
work.  It  was  found  that  the  scholars  were  too 
unruly  to  be  kept  in  subjection  by  a  woman,  and  the 


38  BOUND  TO  mise;  oh, 

school  committee  had  therefore  engaged  Mr.  Bur- 
bank,  though,  by  so  doing  the  school  term  was 
shortened,  as  he  asked  fifity  per  cent,  higher  wages 
than  a  female  teacher  would  have  done.  However  it 
was  better  to  have  a  short  school  than  an  um-uly 
school,  and  so  the  district  acquiesced. 

Eight  weeks  had  not  3-et  passed  since  the  term 
commenced,  and  yet  this  was  the  last  daj^  but  one. 
To-morrow  would  be  examination  day.  To  this  IVIr. 
Bm'bank  made  reference  in  a  few  remarks  which  he 
made  at  the  commencement  of  the  exercises. 

He  was  rather  a  tall,  spare  man,  and  had  a  habit 
of  brushing  his  hair  upward,  thus  making  the  most 
of  a  moderate  forehead.  Probably  he  thought  it 
made  him  look  more  intellectual. 

"Boys  and  girls,"  he  said,  "  to-morrow  is  our  ex- 
amination day.  I've  tried  to  bring  you  along  as  far 
as  possible  toward  the  temple  of  learning,  but  some 
of  you  have  held  back,  and  have  not  done  as  well  as 
I  should  like.  (John  Plympton,  if  you  don't  stop 
whispering  I'll  keep  you  after  school.)  I  want  you 
all  to  remember  that  knowledge  is  better  than  land 
or  gold.     What  would  you  think  of  a  man  who  was 


SARRY  Walton's  motto.  39 

wortn  a  great  fortune,  and  couldn't  spell  his  name  ? 
(Mary  Jones,  can't  you  sit  still  till  I  get  through?) 
It  wiU  he  well  for  jou  to  improve  your  opportunities 
while  you  are  young,  for  by  and  by  you  will  grow 
up,  and  have  families  to  support,  and  will  have  no 
chance  to  learn.  (Jane  Quimby,  I  wish  you  would 
stop  giggling — I  see  nothing  to  laugh  at.)  There 
are  some  of  you  who  have  studied  well  this  term,  and 
done  the  best  you  could.  At  the  beginning  of  the 
term  I  determined  to  give  a  book  to  the  most  deserv- 
ing scholar  at  the  end  of  the  term.  I  have  picked 
out  the  boy  who,  in  my  opinion,  deserves  it. 
(Ephraim  Higgins,  you  needn't  move  round  in  your 
seat.     You  are  not  the  one.)" 

There  was  a  general  laugh  here,  for  Ephraim  was 
distinguished  chiefl}^  for  his  laziness. 

The  teacher  proceeded :  — 

"  I  do  not  mean  to  tell  you  to-day  who  it  is.  To- 
morrow I  shall  call  out  his  name  before  the  school 
committee,  and  present  him  the  prize.  I  want  you 
to  do  as  well  as  you  can  to-morrow.  I  want  you  to 
do  yourselves  credit,  and  to  do  me  credit,  for  I  do 
not  want  to  be  ashamed  of  you.     (Peter  Shelby,  put 


40  BOUND  TO  rise;  OR, 

back  that  knife  into  your  pocket,  and  keep  it  there 
till  I  call  up  the  class  in  whittling.)  " 

There  was  another  laugh  here  at  the  teacher's 
joke,  and  Peter  himself  displayed  a  broad  grin  on 
his  large,  good-humored  face. 

"  We  will  now  proceed  to  the  regular  lessons," 
said  Mr.  Burbank,  in  conclusion.  "First  class  in 
arithmetic  will  take  their  places." 

The  first  class  ranked  as  the  highest  class,  and  in 
it  was  Harry  "Walton. 

"What  was  yom-  lesson  to-day?"  asked  the 
teacher. 

"  Square  root,"  answered  Harry. 

"I  will  give  you  out  a  very  simple  sum. to  begin 
with.  Now  attention  all !  Find  the  square  root  of 
625.  Whoever  gets  the  answer  first  may  hold  up  his 
hand." 

The  first  to  hold  up  his  hand  was  Ephraim  Hig- 


"  Have  you  got  the  answer?"  asked  Mr.  Burbank 
in  some  surprise. 
"  Yes,  sii\" 
"  State  it." 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  41 

"  Forty-five." 

"  How  did  3-0U  get  it  ?  " 

Ephraim  scratched  his  head,  and  looked  confused. 
The  fact  was,  he  was  entirely  ignorant  of  the  method 
of  extracting  the  square  root,  but  had  slil}^  looked 
at  the  slate  of  his  neighbor,  Harry  Walton,  and 
mistaken  the  25  for  45,  and  hurriedly  announced  the 
answer,  in  the  hope  of  obtaining  credit  for  the  same. 

"  How  did  3"ou  get  it?  "  asked  the  teacher  again. 

Ephraim  looked  foolish. 

"  Bring  me  your  slate." 

Ephraim  reluctantly  left  his  place,  and  went  up  to 
Mr.  Bui-bank. 

"  "What  have  we  here?"  said  the  teacher.  "Why 
you  have  got  down  the  625,  and  nothing  else,  except 
45.     Where  did  yon  get  that  answer?" 

"  I  guessed  at  it,"  answered  Ephraim,  hard  pressed 
for  an  answer,  and  not  liking  to  confess  the  truth,  — 
namel}^,  that  he  had  copied  from  Harry  Walton. 

"So  I  supposed.  The  next  time  you'd  better 
guess  a  little  nearer  right,  or  else  give  up  guessing 
altogether.  Harry  Walton,  I  see  your  hand  up. 
What  is  your  answer?" 


42  BOUND  TO  rise;  or., 

"Twenty-five,  sii-." 

«  That  is  right." 

Ephraim  looked  up  suddenly.  He  now  saw  the 
explanation  of  his  mistake. 

"Will  3'ou  explain  how  you  did  it?  You  may  go 
to  the  blackboard,  and  perform  the  operation  once 
more,  ex:plaining  as  3'ou  go  along,  for  the  benefit  of 
Ephraim  Higgins,  and  any  others  who  guessed  at 
the  answer.  Ephraim,  I  want  you  to  give  particular 
attention,  so  that  yo\x  can  do  yourself  more  credit 
next  time.     Now  Harry,  proceed." 

Our  hero  explained  the  sum  in  a  plain,  straight- 
forward way,  for  he  thoroughly  understood  it. 

"Very  well,"  said  the  schoolmaster,  for  this, 
rather  than  teacher,  is  the  country  name  of  the 
oflSce.  "Now,  Ephraim,  do  you  think  you  can  ex- 
plain it?" 

"I  don't  know,  sir,"  said  Ephraim,  dubiously. 

"  Suppose  3'ou  try.    You  may  take  the  same  sum." 

Ephraim  advanced  to  the  board  with  reluctance, 
for  he  was  not  ambitious,  and  had  strong  doubts 
about  his  competence  for  the  task. 

"Put  down  625." 


HABBY  Walton's  motto.  43 

Epliraim  did  so. 

"  Now  extract  the  square  root.  What  do  you  do 
first?" 

"Divide  it  into  two  figures  each." 

"Divide  it  into  periods  of  two  figures  each,  I  sup- 
pose 3'ou  mean.  "Well,  what  will  be  the  first 
period  ?  " 

"  62,"  answered  Ephraim. 

"And  what  will  be  the  second?" 

"  I  don't  see  but  one  other  figure." 

"  Nor  I.  You  have  made  a  mistake.  Harry, 
show  him  how  to  point  it  ofi"." 

Harry  Walton  did  so. 

"Now,  what  do  you  do  nest?" 

"  Divide  the  first  figure  by  three." 

"  What  do  you  do  that  for?" 

Eplu'aim  didn't  know.  It  was  only  a  guess  of  his, 
because  he  knew  that  the  first  figure  of  the  answer 
was  2,  and  this  would  result  from  dividing  the  first 
figure  by  3. 

"  To  bring  the  answer,"  he  replied. 

"  And  I  suppose  you  divide  the  next  period  by  5 
for  the  same  reason,  don't  you?  " 


44  BOUND  TO  hise;  on, 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  You  may  take  your  seat,  sir.  You  are  an  orna- 
ment to  the  class,  and  you  may  become  a  great 
mathematician,  if  you  live  to  the  age  of  Methuselah. 
I  rather  think  it  will  take  about  nine  hundi-ed  years 
for  you  to  reach  that  point." 

The  boys  laughed.  They  always  relish  a  joke  at 
the  expense  of  a  companion,  especially  when  perpe- 
trated by  the  teacher. 

"Your  method  of  extracting  the  square  root  is 
very  original.  You  didn't  find  it  in  any  arithmetic, 
did  you?" 

"  No,  sir." 

"  So  I  thought.  You'd  better  take  out  a  patent 
for  it.     The  next  boy  ma}^  go  to  the  board." 

I  have  given  a  specimen  of  Mr.  Burbank's  method 
of  conducting  the  school,  but  do  not  propose  to  enter 
into  further  details  at  present.  It  will  doubtless 
recall  to  some  of  my  readers  experiences  of  their 
own,  as  the  school  I  am  describing  is  very  similar  to 
hundreds  of  country  schools  now  in  existence,  and 
Mr.  Burbank  is  the  representative  of  a  large  class. 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  49* 


CHAPTER    V. 


HAKRY  S   SUCCESS. 


"  Are  3'ou  going  to  the  examination  to-day, 
mother  ?  "  asked  Harry,  at  breakfast. 

"  I  should  like  to  go,"  said  Mrs.  Walton,  "  but  I 
don't  see  how  I  can.  To-day's  my  bakin'  day,  and 
somehow  my  work  has  got  behindhand  during  the 
week." 

"  I  think  Harrj^'ll  get  the  prize,"  said  Tom,  a  boy 
of  ten,  not  heretofore  mentioned.  He  also  attended 
the  school,  but  was  not  as  promising  as  his  oldest 
brother. 

"What  prize?"  asked  Mrs.  Walton,  looking  up 
with  interest. 

"  The  master  offered  a  prize,  at  the  beginning  of 
the  term,  to  the  scholar  that  was  most  faithful  to  his 
studies." 

"What  is  the  prize?" 

"A  book." 


46  BOUND  TO  mise;  or, 

"  Do  3'ou  think  jow.  will  get  it,  Harry?"  asked  his 
mother. 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  Harry,  modestly.  "  I  think 
I  have  some  chance  of  getting  it." 

"  When  will  it  be  given  ?  " 

"  Toward  the  close  of  the  afternoon." 

"  Maybe  I  can  get  time  to  come  in  then  ;  I'll  try." 

"  I  wish  3'ou  would  come,  mother,"  said  Harry, 
earnestly.  "Onlj^  don't  be  disappointed  if  I  don't 
get  it.  I've  been  trying,  but  there  are  some  other 
good  scholars." 

"  You're  the  best,  Harrj^,"  said  Tom. 

"  I  don't  know  about  that.  I  sha'n't  count  my 
chickens  before  they  are  hatched.  Only  if  I  am  to 
get  the  prize  I  should  like  to  have  mother  there." 

"  I  know  3"0u're  a  good  scholar,  and  have  im- 
proved 3^our  time,"  said  Mrs.  Walton.  "  I  wish 
your  father  was  rich  enough  to  send  3'ou  to  col- 
lege." 

"  I  should  like  that  very  much,"  said  Harry,  his 
ey&s,  sparkling  at  merely  the  suggestion. 

"But  it  isn't  much  use  hoping,"  continued  his 
mother  with  a  sigh.     "  It  don't  seem  clear  whether 


# 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  47 

we  can  get  a  decent  living,  much  less  send  our  boy 
to  college.     The  cow  is  a  great  loss  to  us." 

Just  then  Mr.  Walton  came  in  from  the  barn. 

"How  do  you  like  the  new  cow,  father?"  asked 
Harry. 

"  She  isn't  equal  to  our  old  one.  She  doesn't  give 
as  much  milk  within  two  quarts,  if  this  morning's 
milking  is  a  fair  sample." 

"  You  iDaid  enough  for  her,"  said  Mrs.  "Walton. 

"  I  paid  too  much  for  her,"  answered  her  husband , 
"  but  it  was  the  best  I  could  do.  I  had  to  buy  on 
credit,  and  Squire  Green  knew  I  must  pay  his  price, 
or  go  without." 

"  Fortj'-three  dollars  is  a  great  deal  of  money  to 
pay  for  a  cow." 

"  Not  for  some  cows.  Some  are  worth  more  ;  but 
this  one  isn't." 

"  What  do  3'ou  think  she  is  really  worth?" 

"  Thirtj'-three  dollars  is  the  most  I  would  give  if  I 
had  the  cash  to  pay." 

"I  think  it's  mean  in  Squire  Green  to  take  such 
advantage  of  you,"  said  Harry. 

"  You  mustn't  say  so,  Harry,  for  it  won't  do  for 


48  BOUND  TO  hise;  on^ 

me  to  get  the  squire's  ill  will.  I  am  owing  liim 
money.  I've  agreed  to  pa}^  for  the  cow  in  six 
months." 

"Can  you  do  it?" 

"  I  don't  see  how ;  but  the  money's  on  interest, 
and  maybe  the  squire'll  let  it  stay.  I  forgot  to  say, 
though,  that  last  evening  when  I  went  to  get  the 
cow  he  made  me  agree  to  forfeit  ten  dollars  if  I  was 
not  ready  with  the  money  and  interest  in  six  months. 
I  am  afraid  he  will  insist  on  that  if  I  can't  keep  my 
agreement." 

"  It  will  be  better  for  you  to  pay,  and  have  done 
with  it." 

'  Of  course.  I  shall  try  to  do  it,  if  I  have  to  bor- 
row the  mone^'.     I  suppose  I  shall  have  to  do  that." 

Meantime  Harry  was  busy  thinking.  "  "Wouldn't 
it  be  possible  for  me  to  earn  money  enough  to  pay 
for  the  cow  in  six  montlis?  I  wish  I  could  do  it, 
and  relieve  father." 

He  began  to  think  over  all  possible  ways  of  earn- 
ing money,  but  there  was  nothing  in  particular  to  do 
in  the  town  except  to^work  for  the  farmers,  and  there 
was  very  little  money  to  earn  in  that  i^aj.     Money 


HARBT  WALTON^S  MOTTO.  49 

is  a  scarce  commodity  witli  farmers  everywhere. 
Most  of  their  income  is  in  the  shape  of  farm  pro- 
duce, and  used  in  the  famil3\  Only  a  small  surplus 
is  converted  into  money,  and  a  dollar,  therefore, 
seems  more  to  them  than  to  a  mechanic,  whose  sub- 
stantial income  is  perhaps  less.  This  is  the  reason, 
probably,  why  farmers  are  generally  loth  to  spend 
money.  Harry  knew  that  if  he  sliould  hire  out  to  a 
farmer  for  the  six  months  the  utmost  he  could  ex- 
pect would  be  a  dollar  a  week,  and  it  was  not  certain 
he  could  earn  that.  Besides,  he  would  probably  be 
worth  as  much  to  his  father  as  any  one,  and  his  labor 
in  neither  case  provide  money  to  pay  for  the  cow. 
Obviously  that  would  not  answer.  He  must  think 
of  some  other  wa}^,  but  at  present  none  seemed 
open.  He  sensibly  deferred  thinking  till  after  the 
examination. 

"  Are  you  going  to  the  school  examination, 
father?"  asked  our  hero. 

"  I  can't  spare  time,  Harry.  I  should  like  to,  for 
I  want  to  know  how  far  you  have  progressed.  '  Live 
and  learu,'  my  boy.    That's  a  good  motto,  though 


50  BOUND  TO  rise;  on. 

Squire    Green    thinks    that   '  Live    and  earn '   is   a 
better." 

"  That's  the  rule  he  acts  on,"  said  Mrs.  Walton. 
"  He  isn't  troubled  Avith  learning." 

"  No,  he  isn't  as  good  a  scholar  probably  as  Tom, 
here." 

"  Isn't  he?"  said  Tom,  rather  complacently. 

"  Don't  feel  too  much  flattered,  Tom,"  said  his 
mother.     "You  don't  know   enough  to  hiu't  you." 

"  He  never  will,"  said  his  sister  Jane,  laughing. 

"I  don't  want  to  know  enough  to  hurt  me,"  re-  v/^ 
turned  Tom,  good  humoredly.     He  was  rather  used 
to  such  compliments,  and  didn't  mind  them. 

"  No,"  said  Mr.  "Walton ;  "I  am  afraid  I  can't 
spare  time  to  come  to  the  examination.  Are  you 
going,  mother?" 

It  is  quite  common  in  the  coimtry  for  husbands  to 
address  wives  in  this  manner. 

"  I  shall  try  to  go  in  the  last  of  the  afternoon," 
said  Mrs.  "Walton. 

"  If  you  will  come,  mother,"  said  Harry,  "  we'll 
all  help  you  afterward,  so  you  won't  lose  anything 
by  it." 


hahry  Walton's  motto.  61 

"  I  think  I  will  contrive  to  come." 

The  examination  took  place  in  the  afternoon. 
Mr.  Burbank  preferred  to  have  it  so,  for  two  reasons. 
It  allowed  time  to  submit  the  pupils  to  a  previous 
private  examination  in  the  morning,  thus  insming  a 
better  appearance  in  the  afternoon.  Besides,  in  the 
second  place,  the  parents  were  more  likely  to  be  at 
liberty  to  attend  in  the  afternoon,  and  he  naturally 
liked  to  have  as  many  visitors  as  possible.  He  was 
reall}'^  a  good  teacher,  though  his  qualifications  were 
limited ;  but  as  far  as  his  knowledge  went,  he  was 
quite  successful  in  imparting  it  to  others. 

In  the  afternoon  there  was  quite  a  fair  attendance 
of  parents  and  friends  of  the  scholars,  though  some 
did  not  come  in  till  late,  like  Mrs.  Walton.  It  is 
not  my  intention  to  speak  of  the  examination  in 
detail.  My  readers  know  too  little  of  the  scholars 
to  make  that  interesting.  Ephraim  Higgins  made 
some  amusing  mistakes,  but  that  didn't  excite  any 
surprise,  for  his  scholarship  was  correctly  estimated 
in  the  village.  Tom  "Walton  did  passably  well,  but 
was  not  likely  to  mak'e  his  parents  proud  of  his  per- 
formances.    Harry,  however,  eclipsed  himself.     His 


62  BOUND  TO  bise;  on, 

ambition  had  been  stirred  by  the  offer  of  a  prize, 
and  he  was  resolved  to  deserve  it.  His  recitations 
were  prompt  and  correct,  and  his  answers  were  given 
with  confidence.  But  j^erhaps  he  did  himself  most 
credit  in  declamation.  He  had  always  been  very 
fond  of  that,  and  though  he  had  never  received  any 
scientific  instruction  in  it,  he  possessed  a  natural 
grace  and  a  deep  feeling  of  earnestness  which  made 
success  easy.  He  had  selected  an  extract  from 
Webster,  —  the  reply  to  Hayne,  —  and  this  was  the 
show-piece  of  the  afternoon.  The  rest  of  the  dec- 
lamation was  crude  enough,  but  Harry's  impressed 
even  the  most  ignorant  of  his  listeners  as  superior 
for  a  boy  of  his  age.  When  he  uttered  his  last  sen- 
tence, and  made  a  parting  bow,  there  was  subdued 
applause,  and  it  brought  a  flush  of  gratification  to 
the  cheek  of  our  young  hero. 

"  This  is  the  last  exercise,"  said  the  teacher,  "  ex- 
cept one.  At  the  commencement  of  tlie  term,  I 
oflfered  a  prize  to  the  scholar  that  would  do  the  best 
from  that  time  till  the  close  of  the  school.  I  will 
now  award  the  prize.     Harry  Walton,  come  forward." 

Harry  rose  from  his  seat,  his  cheeks  flushed  again 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  53 

•with  gratification,  and  advanced  to  where  the  teacher 
was  standing. 

"  Harry,"  said  Mr.  Burbanlc,  "  I  have  no  hesita- 
tion in  giving  you  the  prize.  You  have  excelled  all 
the  other  scholars,  and  it  is  fairly  yours.  The  book 
is  not  of  much  value,  but  I  think  you  will  find  it 
interesting  and  instructive.  It  is  the  life  of  the 
great  American  philosopher  and  statesman,  Ben- 
jamin Franklin.  I  hope  j'ou  will  read  and  profit  by 
it,  and  try  like  him  to  make  your  life  a  credit  to 
yourself  and  a  blessing  to  manldnd." 

"  Thank  you,  sir,"  said  Harrj^,  bowing  low.  ''  I 
will  try  to  do  so." 

There  was  a  speech  by  the  chairman  of  the  school 
committee,  in  which  allusion  was  made  to  Harry  and 
the  prize,  and  the  exercises  were  over.  Harry  re- 
ceived the  congratulations  of  his  schoolmates  and 
others  with  modest  satisfaction ;  but  he  was  most 
pleased  hj  the  evident  pride  and  pleasure  which  his 
mother  exhibited,  when  she,  too,  was  congratulated 
on  his  success.  His  worldlj'^  prospects  were  very 
uncertain,  but  he  had  achieved  the  success  for  which 
he  had  been  laboring,  and  he  was  happy. 


54  BOUND  TO  rise;  oh, 


CHAPTER    VI. 


HARRY  S    NEW   PLAN, 


It  was  not  until  evening  that  Harry  had  a  chance 
to  look  at  his  prize.  It  was  a  cheap  book,  costing 
probably  not  over  a  dollar ;  but  except  his  school- 
books,  and  a  ragged  copy  of  "  Robinson  Crusoe,"  it  was 
the  only  book  that  our  hero  possessed.  His  father 
found  it  difficult  enough  to  buy  him  the  necessary 
books  for  use  in  school,  and  could  not  afford  to  buy 
Siny  less  necessary.  So  our  young  hero,  who  was 
fond  of  reading,  though  seldom  able  to  gratify  his 
taste,  looked  forward  with  great  joy  to  the  pleasure 
of  reading  his  new  book.  He  did  not  know  much 
about  Benjamin  Franklin,  but  had  a  vague  idea  that 
he  was  a  great  man. 

After  his  evening  "  chores "  were  done,  he  sat 
down  by  the  table  on  which  was  burning  a  solitary 
tallow  candle,  and  began  to  read.     His  mother  was 


TTARRY  Walton's  motto.  55 

darning  stockings,  and  his  father  had  gone  to  the 
village  store  on  an  errand. 

So  he  began  the  story,  and  the  more  he  read  the 
more  interesting  he  found  it.  Great  as  he  afterward 
became,  he  was  surprised  to  find  that  Franklin  was 
a  poor  boy,  and  had  to  work  for  a  living.  He 
started  out  in  life  on  his  own  account,  and  through 
industry,  frugality,  perseverance,  and  a  fixed  deter- 
mination to  rise  in  life,  he  became  a  distinguished 
man  in  the  end,  and  a  wise  man  also,  though  his 
early  opportunities  were  very  limited.  It  seemed  to 
Hany  that  there  was  a  great  similarity  between  his 
own  circumstances  and  position  in  life,  and  those  of 
the  great  man  about  whom  he  was  reading,  and  this 
made  the  biography  the  more  fascinating.  The  hope 
came  to  him  that,  by  following  Franklin's  example, 
he,  too,  might  become  a  successful  man. 

His  mother,  looking  up  at  intervals  from  the  stock- 
ings which  had  been  so  repeatedly  darned  that  the 
original  texture  was  almost  wholly  lost  sight  of, 
noticed  how  absorbed  he  was. 

"  Is  your  book  interesting,  Harry?"  she  asked. 


66  BOUND  TO  rise;  on, 

"  It's  the  most  interesting  "book  I  ever  read,"  said 
Harry,  with  a  sigh  of  intense  enjoyment. 

"  It's  about  Benjamin  Franklin,  isn't  it?  " 

"  Yes.  Do  3"ou  know,  mother,  he  was  a  poor  boy, 
and  he  worked  his  way  up." 

"  Yes,  I  have  heard  so,  but  I  never  read  his  life." 

"  You'd  better  read  this  when  I  have  finished  it. 
I've  been  thinking  that  there's  a  chance  for  me, 
mother." 

"  A  chance  to  do  what?" 

"A  chance  to  be  somebody  when  I  get  bigger. 
I'm  poor  now,  but  so  was  Franklin.  He  worked 
hard,  and  tried  to  learn  all  he  could.  That's  the 
way  he  succeeded.     I'm  going  to  do  the  same." 

"We  can't  all  be  Franklins,  mj'  son,"  said  Mrs. 
Walton,  not  wishing  her  son  to  form  high- hopes 
which  might  be  disappointed  in  the  end." 

"  I  know  that,  mother,  and  I  d(m't  expect  to  be  a 
great  man  like  him.  But  if  I  tr}^  hard  I  think  I  can 
rise  in  the  world,  and  be  worth  a  little  money." 

"I  hope  you  won't  be  as  poor  as  your  father, 
Harry,"  said  Mrs.  Walton,  sighing,  as  she  thought 
of   the    years    of   painful    privation    and  pinching 


HABRY  Walton's  motto.  57 

poverty  reaching  back  to  the  tirae  of  their  marriage. 
They  had  got  through  it  someliow,  but  she  hoped 
that  her  children  would  have  a  brighter  lot. 

"  I  hope  not,"  said  Harr3^  "  If  I  ever  get  rich, 
you  sha'n't  have  to  work  any  more." 

Mrs.  "Walton  smiled  faintly.  She  was  not  hopeful, 
and  thought  it  probable  that  before  Harry  became 
rich,  both  she  and  her  husband  would  be  resting 
from  their  labor  in  the  village  churchyard.  But 
she  would  not  dampen  Harry's  youthful  enthusiasm 
by  the  utterance  of  such  a  thought. 

"  I  am  sure  you  won't  let  your  father  and  mother 
want,  if  you  have  the  means  to  prevent  it,"  she  said, 
aloud.  "  "We  can't  any  of  us  tell  what's  coming,  but 
I  hope  you  may  be  well  off  some  time." 

"  I  read  in  the  country  paper  the  other  day  that 
many  of  the  richest  men  in  Boston  and  New  York 
were  once  poor  boys,"  said  Harry,  in  a  hopeful 
tone. 

"So  I  have  heard,"  said  his  mother. 

"  If  they  succeeded,  I  don't  see  why  I  can't." 

"You   must  try  to  be   something   more   than  a 


58  BOUND  TO  risk;  on, 

rich  man.  I  shouldn't  want  3^011  to  be  like  Squire 
Green." 

"  He  is  rich,  but  he  is  mean  and  ignorant.  I  don't 
think  I  shall  be  like  him.  He  has  cheated  father 
about  the  cow." 

"  Yes,  he  drove  a  sharp  trade  with  him,  taking 
advantage  of  his  necessities.  I  am  afraid  yom- 
father  won't  be  able  to  pay  for  the  cow  six  months 
from  now." 

"  I  am  afraid  so  too." 

"  I  don't  see  how  we  can  possibly  save  up  forty 
dollars.     We  are  as  economical  now  as  we  can  be." 

*'  That  is  what  I  have  been  thinking  of,  mother. 
There  is  no  chance  of  father's  paying  the  money." 

"  Then  it  won't  be  paid,  and  we  shall  be  worse  off 
when  the  note  comes  due,  than  now." 

"Do  you  think,"  said  Harr}^,  laying  down  the 
book  on  the  table,  and  looking  up  earnestly,  "  do 
you  think,  mother,  I  could  anj''  way  earn  the  forty 
dollars  before  it  is  to  be  paid  ? " 

"You,  Harry?"  repeated  his  mother,  in  surprise, 

what  could  3'ou  do  to  earn  money  ?  " 


HAEET  Walton's  motto.  59 

"  I  don't  know,  yet,"  answered  Harry ;  "  "but 
there  are  a  great  many  things  to  be  done." 

"  I  don't  know  what  you  can  do,  except  to  hire  out 
to  a  farmer,  and  they  pay  very  little.  Besides,  I 
don't  know  of  any  farmer  in  the  town  that  wants  a 
boy.  Most  of  them  have  boys  of  their  own,  or 
men," 

"  I  wasn't  thinking  of  that,"  said  Harry.  "  There 
isn't  much  chance  there." 

"  I  don't  know  of  any  other  work  to  do  here." 

"  Nor  I,  mother.  But  I  wasn't  thinking  of  stay- 
ing in  town." 

"  Not  thinking  of  staying  in  town ! "  repeated 
Mrs.  Walton,  in  surprise.  "You  don't  want  to 
leave  home,  do  you?" 

"  No,  mother,  I  don't  want  to  leave  home,  or  I 
wouldn't  want  to,  if  there  was  anything  to  do  here. 
But  you  know  there  isn't.  Farm  work  won't  help 
me  along,  and  I  don't  like  it  as  well  as  some  other 
kinds  of  work.  I  must  leave  home  if  I  want  to  rise 
in  the  world." 

"  But  you  are  too  young,  Harry." 

This  was  touching  Harry  on  a  tender  point.    No 


GO  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

boy  of  fourteen  likes  to  be  considered  very  young. 
By  that  time  he  generally  begins  to  feel  a  degree  of 
self-confidence  and  self-reliance,  and  fancies  he  is 
almost  on  the  threshold  of  manliood.  I  know  boys 
of  fom-teen  who  look  in  the  glass  daily  for  signs  of 
a  coming  moustache,  and  fanc}'  they  can  see  plainly 
what  is  not  3-et  visible.  Harry  had  not  got  as  far  as 
that,  but  he  no  longer  looked  upon  himself  as  a 
young  \>oy.  He  was  stout  and  strong,  and  of  very 
good  height  for  his  age,  and  began  to  feel  manly. 
So  he  drew  himself  up,  upon  this  remark  of  his 
mother's,  and  said,  proudl}^,  "  I  am  going  on  fifteen 
(that  sounds  older  than  fourteen),  and  I  don't  call 
that  very  young." 

"It  seems  but  a  little  Avhile  since  you  were  a 
baby,"  said  his  mother,  meditatively. 

"  I  hope  you  don't  thinli  me  anything  like  a  baby 
now,  mother,"  said  Harry,  straightening  up,  and 
looking  as  large  as  possible. 

"No,  3'ou're  quite  a  large  boy,  now.  How  quick 
the  years  have  passed ! " 

"  And  I  am  strong  of  my  age,  too,  mother.  I  am 
sm'o  I  am  old  enough  to  take  care  of  myself." 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  61 

"  But  you  are  young  to  go  out  into  the  world." 

"  I  don't  believe  Franklin  was  mucli  older  than  I, 
and  he  got  along.  There  are  plenty  of  boys  who 
leave  home  before  they  are  as  old  as  I  am." 

"  Suppose  you  are  sick^  Harry?" 

"  If  I  am  I'll  come  home.  But  you  know  I  am 
very  health}^,  mother,  and  if  I  am  away  from  home  I 
shall  be  very  careful." 

"  But  you  would  not  be  sure  of  getting  anything 
to  do." 

"  I'll  risk  that,  mother,"  said  Harry,  in  a  corilident 
tone. 

"Did  you  think  of  this  before  you  read  that 
book?" 

"Yes,  I've  been  thinking  of  it  for  about  a  month ; 
but  the  book  put  it  into  my  head  to-night.  I  seem 
to  see  my  way  clearer  than  I  did.  I  want  most  of 
all,  to  earn  money  enough  to  pay  for  the  cow  in  six 
months.  You  know  yom'sclf,  mother,  there  isn't  any 
chance  of  father  doing  it  himself,  and  I  can't  earn 
anything  if  I  stay  at  home." 

"  Have  3"ou  mentioned  the  matter  to  your  father 
yet,  Harry?" 


C2  BOUND  TO  msE;  on-, 

"  No,  I  haven't.  I  wish  3'ou  would  speak  about  it 
to-night,  mother.  You  can  tell  him  first  Avhat  makes 
me  want  to  go." 

"  I'll  tell  him  that  you  want  to  go ;  but  I  won't 
promise  to  sa}''  I  think  it  a  good  plan." 

"  Just  mention  it,  mother,  and  then  I'll  talk  with 
him  about  it  to-morrow." 

To  this  Mrs.  "Walton  agreed,  and  Harry,  after 
reading  a  few  pages  more  in  the  "  Life  of  Franklin," 
went  up  to  bed ;  but  it  was  some  time  before  he 
slept.  His  mind  was  full  of  the  new  scheme  on 
which  he  had  set  Ms  heart. 


HARRY  WALTON'S  MOTTO.  63 


CHAPTER    VII, 


HAKRT  GAINS   HIS  POINT. 


"Father,"  said  Harry,  the  next  morning,  as  Mr. 
Walton  was  about  to  leave  the  house,  "  there's 
something  I  want  to  say  to  you." 

"What  is  it?"  asked  his  father,  imagining  it  was 
some  trifle. 

"  I'll  go  out  with  you,  and  tell  you  outside." 

"  Very  well,  my  son." 

Harry  put  on  his  cap,  and  followed  his  father  into 
the  open  air. 

"  Now,  my  son,  Ayhat  is  it  ? " 

"  I  want  to  go  away  from  home." 

"  Away  from  home  !  Where  ? "  asked  Mr.  Wal- 
ton, in  surprise. 

"I  don't  know  where ;  but  somewhere  where  I  can 
earn  my  own  living." 

"But  you  can  do  that  here.  You  can  give  me 
your  help  on  the  farm,  as  you  always  have  done." 


64  BOUND  TO  rise;  ojr, 

"  I  don't  like  farming,  father." 

"  You  never  told  me  that  before.  Is  it  because  of 
the  hard  work  ?  " 

"No,"  said  Harrj'-,  earnestly.  "I  am  not  afraid 
of  hard  work ;  but  you  know  how  it  is,  father.  This 
isn't  a  very  good  farm,  and  it's  all  you  can  do  to 
make  a  living  for  the  rest  of  us  out  of  it.  If  I 
could  go  somewhere,  whore  I  could  work  at  some- 
thing else,  I  could  send  you  home  my  wages." 

"  I  am  afraid  a  boy  like  you  couldn't  earn  very 
large  wages." 

"  I  don't  see  why  not,  father.  I'm  strong  and 
stout,  and  willing  to  work." 

"  PeojDle  don't  give  much  for  boys'  work." 

"  I  don't  expect  much ;  but  I  know  I  can  get 
something,  and  by  and  by  it  will  lead  to  more.  I 
want  to  help  you  to  j)ay  for  that  cow  3'ou've  just 
bought  of  Squire  Green." 

"  I  don't  see  how  I'm  going  to  pay  for  it,"  said 
Mr.  "Walton,  with  a  sigh.  "  Hard  money's  pretty 
scarce,  and  we  farmers  don't  get  much  of  it." 

"  That's  just  what  I'm  saying,  father.     There  isn't 


HASRY  Walton's  motto.  65 

much  money  to  be  got  in  farming.  That's  why  I 
want  to  try  something  else." 

"How  long  have  you  been  thinking  of  this  plan, 
Harry?" 

"  Only  since  last  night." 

"What  put  it  into  3'our  head?" 

"  That  book  I  got  as  a  prize." 

"  It  is  the  life  of  Franklin,  isn't  it?" 

"  Yes." 

"  Did  he  go  away  from  home  when  he  was  a 
boy?"  ■ 

"Yes,  and  he  succeeded,  too." 

"  I  know  he  did.  He  became  a  famous  man.  But 
it  isn't  every  boy  that  is  like  Franklin." 

"  I  know  that.  I  never  expect  to  become  a  great 
man  like  him ;  but  I  can  make  something." 

Harry  spoke  those  words  in  a  firm,  resolute  tone, 
which  seemed  to  indicate  a  consciousness  of  power. 
Looking  in  his  son's  face,  the  elder  Walton,  though 
by  no  means  a  sanguine  man,  was  inclined  to  thiuk 
favorably  of  the  scheme.  But  he  was  cautious,  and 
he  did  not  want  Harr}'  to  be  too  confident  of  success. 


66  BOUND    TO   RISE,    OR, 

"  It's  a  new  idea  to  m§,"  he  said.  "  Suppose  you 
fail?" 

"  I  don't  mean  to." 

"  But  suppose  you  do,  —  suppose  you  get  sick?  " 

"  Then  I'll  come  home.  But  I  want  to  tiy. 
There  must  be  something  for  me  to  do  in  the 
world." 

"There's  another  thing,  Harry.  It  takes  money 
to  travel  round,  and  I  haven't  got  any  money  to 
give  you." 

"  I  don't  want  any,  father.  I  mean  to  work  my 
way.  I've  got  twenty-five  cents  to  start  with. 
Now,  father,  what  do  you  say?" 

"  I'll  speak  to  your  mother  about  it." 

"To-day?" 

"  Yes,  as  soon  as  I  go  in." 

With  this  Harry  was  content.  He  had  a  good 
deal  of  confidence  that  he  could  carry  his  point  with 
both  parents. 

He  went  into  the  house,  and  said  to  his  mother : 
"  Mother,  father's  going  to  speak  to  you  about  my 
going  away  from  home.     Now  don't  you  oppose  il." 


HARRY  WALTON'' S  MOTTO.  67 

"Do  you  really  think  it  would  be  a  good  plan, 
Harry?" 

"  Yes,  mother." 

"And  if  you're  sick  will  you  promise  to  come 
right  home?" 

"  Yes,  I'll  promise  that." 

"  Then  I  won't  oppose  your  notion,  though  I  aint 
clear  about  its  being  wise." 

"  "We'll  talk  about  that  in  a  few  months,  mother." 

"  Has  Harry  spoken  to  you  about  his  plan  of 
going  away  from  home?"  asked  the  farmer,  when 
he  re-entered  the  house. 

"  Yes,"  said  Mrs.  Walton.. 

"What  do  you  think?" 

"Perhaps  we'd  better  let  the  lad  have  his  way. 
He's  promised  to  come  home  if  he's  taken  sick." 

"  So  let  it  be,  then,  Harry.     When  do  you  want  to 

go?"    • 

"  As  soon  as  I  can." 

"  You'll  have  to  wait  till  Monday.  It'll  take  a 
da}'  or  two  to  fix  up  your  clothes,"  said  his  mother. 

"  All  right,  mother." 

"  I  don't  know  but  j'ou  ought  to  have  some  new 


68  BOUND  TO  niss;  on., 

shirts.  You  haven't  got  but  two  except  the  one  you 
have  on." 

"  I  can  get  along,  mother  Father  hasn't  got  any 
money  to  spend  for  me.  B}'  the  time  I  want  some 
new  shirts,  I'll  buy  them  myself." 

"Where  do  you  thinlc  of  going,  Harry?  Have 
you  any  idea?" 

"  No,  mother.  I'm  going  to  trust  to  luck.  I 
sha'n't  go  ver}^  far.  "When  I've  got  fixed  anywhere 
I'll  write,  and  let  j'ou  know." 

In  the  evening  Harry  resumed  the  "  Life  of  Frank- 
lin," and  before  he  was  ready  to  go  to  bed  he  had 
got  two-thirds  through  with  it.  It  possessed  for  him 
g,  singular  fascination.  To  Harry  it  was  not  alone 
the  "  Life  of  Benjamin  Franklin."  It  was  the  chart 
by  which  he  meant  to  steer  in  the  unknown  career 
which  stretched  before  him.  He  knew  so  little  of 
the  world  that  he  trusted  implicitly  to  that  as  a 
guide,  and  he  silently  stored  away  the  wise  precepts 
in  conformity  with  which  the  great  practical  philoso- 
pher had  shaped  and  moulded  his  life. 

Dm-ing  that  evening,  however,  another  chance  was 
offered  to  Harry,  as  I  shall  now  describe. 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  69 

As  the  family  were  sitting  around  the  kitchen 
table,  on  which  was  placed  the  humble  tallow  candle 
by  which  the  room  was  lighted,  there  was  heard  a 
scraping  at  the  door,  and  presently  a  knock.  IMr. 
"Walton  answered  it  in  person,  and  admitted  the  thin 
figure  and  sharp,  calculating  face  of  Squire  Green. 

"How  are  3'ou,  neighbor?"  he  said,  looking  about 
him  with  his  parrot-like  glance.  "  I  thought  I'd 
just   run    in  a  minute  to   see   yo\i   as  I  was   goin' 

by." 

"  Sit  down,  Squire  Green.  Take  the  rocking- 
chair." 

"  Thank  you,  neighbor.     How's  the  cow  a  doiu'  ?  " 

"  Middling  well.  She  don't  give  as  much  milk  as 
the  one  I  lost." 

"  She'll  do  better  bymeby.  She's  a  good  bargain 
to  you,  neighbor." 

"  1  don't  know,"  said  Hu'am  "Walton,  dubiously. 
"  She  ought  to  be  a  good  cow  for  the  price  you 
asked." 

"  And  she  is  a  good  cow,"  said  the  squire,  em- 
phatically ;  "  and  you're  lucky  to  get  her  so  cheap, 


70  BOUND  TO  rise;  or^ 

buyin'  oa  time.  What  are  you  doin*  there,  Harry? 
School  through,  aint  it  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"I  hear  you're  a  good  scholar.  Got  the  prize, 
didn't  you?" 

"Yes,"  said  Mr.  Walton;  "Harry  was  always 
good  at  his  books." 

"  I  guess  he  knows  enough  now.  You'd  ought  to 
set  him  to  work." 

"  He  is  ready  enough  to  work,"  said  Mr.  Walton. 
"  He  never  was  lazy." 

"  That's  good.  There's  a  sight  of  lazy,  shif  less 
boys  about  in  these  days.  Seems  as  if  they  ex- 
pected to  earn  their  bread  'n  butter  a  doin'  nothin'. 
I've  been  a  thinkin',  neighbor  Walton,  that  you'll 
find   it  hard    to  paj'-  for   that  cow  in  six  months." 

"  I  am  afraid  I  shall,"  said  the  farmer,  thinking  in 
surprise,  "  Can  he  be  going  to  reduce  the  price?" 

"  So  I  thought  mebbe  we  might  make  an  arrange- 
ment to  make  it  easier." 

"  I  should  be  glad  to  have  it  made  easier,  squire. 
It  was  hard  on  me,  losing  that  cow  by  disease." 

"Of  com-se.     Well,  what  I  was  thinkin'  was,  jan 


HARRT  Walton's  motto.  71 

might  hire  out  your  boy  to  work  for  me.  I'd  allow 
him  two  dollars  a  month  and  board,  and  the  wages 
would  help  pay  for  the  cow." 

Harry  looked  up  in  dismay  at  this  proposition. 
He  knew  very  well  the  meanness  of  the  board  which 
the  squire  provided,  how  inferior  it  was  even  to  the 
scanty,  but  well-cooked  meals  which  he  got  at  home  ; 
he  knew,  also,  that  the  squire  had  the  knack  of  get- 
ting more  work  out  of  his  men  than  any  other  farmer 
in  the  town ;  and  the  prospect  of  being  six  months 
in  his  employ  was  enough  to  terrify  him.  He  looked 
from  Squire  Green's  mean,  crafty  face  to  his  father's 
in  anxiety  and  apprehension.  "Were  all  his  bright 
dreams  of  future  success  to  terminate  in  this  ? 


72  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

SQUIRE   green's   DISAPPOINTMENT. 

Squire  rubbed  his  bands  as  if  be  bad  been  propos- 
ing a  plan  with  special  reference  to  tbe  interests  of 
tbe  Waltons.  Reallj''  be  conceived  tbat  it  would  save 
Mm  a  considerable  sum  of  money.  He  bad  in  his 
employ  a  young  man  of  eighteen,  named  Abner 
IHmball,  to  whom  be  was  compelled  to  pay  ten  dol- 
lars a  month.  Harry  he  reckoned  could  be  made  to 
do  about  as  much,  though  on  account  of  his  j^outh 
he  had  offered  him  but  two  dollars,  and  tbat  not  to 
be  paid  in  cash. 

Mr.  Walton  paused  before  replying  to  his  proposal. 

"  You're  a  little  too  late,"  he  said,  at  last,  to 
Harry's  great  relief. 

"  Too  late  ! "  repeated  the  squire,  hastily.  "  Why, 
you  haint  hired  out  jouv  boy  to  anybody  else,  have 


you 


?" 


HABItT  WALTON'S  MOTTO.  73 

"  No  ;  but  lie  has  asked  me  to  let  him  leave  home, 
and  I've  agreed  to  it." 

"  Leave  home  ?    Where's  he  goin'  ?  " 

"  He  has  not  fully  decided.  He  wants  to  go  otit 
and  seek  his  fortune." 

"He'll  fetch  up  at  the  poor-house,"  growled  the 
squire. 

"  K  he  does  not  succeed,  he  will  come  home 
again." 

"It's  a  foolish  plan,  neighbor  "Walton.  Take  my 
word  for't.  You'd  better  keep  him  here,  and  let  him 
work  for  me." 

"  If  he  stayed  at  home,  I  should  find  work  for  him 
on  my  farm." 

Mr.  Walton  would  not  have  been  willing  to  have 
Harry  work  for  the  squire,  knowing  well  his  mean- 
ness, and  how  poorly  he  paid  his  hired  men. 

"  I  wanted  to  help  you  pay  for  that  cow,"  said  the 
squire,  crossly.  "If  jovl  can't  pay  for't  when  the 
time  comes  j^ou  mustn't  blame  me." 

"  I  shall  blame  no  one.  I  can't  foresee  the  future ; 
but  I  hope  to  get  together  the  jnoney  somehow." 


74  BOUND  TO  hise;  or, 

"  You  mustn't  ask  for  more  time.  Six  months  Is 
a  long  time  to  give." 

"  I  believe  I  haven't  said  anything  about  more 
time  yet,  Squire  Green,"  said  Hiram  Walton,  stifflj*. 
"  I  don't  see  that  you  need  warn  me." 

"  I  thought  we  might  as  well  have  an  understand 
in'  about  it,"  said  the  squu-e.  "  So  you  won't  hixe 
out  the  boy?" 

"  No,  I  cannot,  under  the  circumstances.  If  I 
did  I  should  consider  his  services  worth  more  than 
two  dollars  a  month." 

"  I  might  give  him  two'n  a  half,"  said  the  squire, 
fa'-     Ing  it  was  merely  a  question  of  money. 

"  How  much  do  jo\x  pay  Abner  Kimball?  " 

"  Wal,  rather  .  more  than  that,"  answered  the 
squire,  slowly. 

"  You  pay  him  ten  dollars  a  month,  don't  you?" 

"  "Wal,  somewheres  about  that ;  but  it's  more'n  he 
earns." 

"If  he  is  worth  ten  doUars,  Harry  would  be  worth 
four  or  six." 

"I'll  give-  three,"  said  the  squire,  who  reflected 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  75 

that  eyen  at  that  rate  lie  would  be  saving  consider- 
able. 

"  I  will  leave  it  to  Harry  himself,"  said  his  father. 
"  Harry,  you  hear  Squire  Green's  offer.  What  do 
you  saj'?  Will  you  go  to  work  for  him  at  three 
dollars  a  month?" 

"I'd  rather  go  away,  as  3'ou  told  me  I  might, 
father." 

"  You  hear  the  boy's  decision,  squire." 

"Wal,  wal,"  said  the  squire,  a  good  deal  disap- 
pointed,—  for,  to  tell  the  truth,  he  had  told  Abner 
he  should  not  want  him,  having  felt  confident  of 
obtaining  Harry ,  "I  hope  you  won't  neither  on  ye 
regi'et  it." 

His  tone  clearly  indicated  that  he  really  hoped  and 
expected  they  would.     "  I  bid  ye  good-night." 

"  I'll  hev  the  cow  back  ag'in,"  said  the  squire  to 
himself.  "  He  needn't  hope  no  massy.  If  he  don't 
hev  the  money  ready  for  me  when  the  time  is  up,  he 
sha'n't  keep  her." 

The  nest  morning  he  was  under  the  unpleasant 
necessity  of  re-engaging  Abner. 

"  Come  to  think  on't,  Abner,"  he  said,  "  I  guess 


76  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

I'd  like  to  hev  you  stay  longer.  There's  more  work 
than  I  reckoned,  and  I  guess  I'll  hev  to  have  some- 
body." 

This  was  at  the  breakfast-table.  Abner  looked 
around  him,  and  after  making  sure  that  there  was 
nothing  eatable  left,  put  down  his  knife  and  fork 
with  the  air  of  one  who  could  have  eaten  more,  and 
answered,  deliberately :  "  Ef  I  stay,  I'll  hev  to  hev 
more  wages." 

"  More  wages?"  repeated  Squire  Green,  in  dismay. 
" More'n  ten  dollars?  " 

"  Yes,  a  fellow  of  my  age  orter  hev  more'n  that." 

"  Ten  dollars  is  a  good  deal  of  money." 

"  I  can't  lay  up  a  cent  off'n  it." 

"  Then  you're  extravagant."  ^ 

"No  I  aint.  I  aint  no  chance  to  be.  My  cousin, 
Paul  Bickford,  is  gettin'  fifteen  dollars,  and  he  aint 
no  better  worker'n  I  am." 

"  Fifteen  dollars  !  "  ejaculated  the  squire,  as  if  he 
were  naming  some  extraordinar}'-  sum.  "  I  never 
heerd  of  such  a  thing." 

"  I'll  work  for  twelve'n  a  half,"  said  Abner,  "  and 
I  won't  work  for  no  less.'* 


HARRY  Walton's  motto  77 

"  It's  too  mucli,"  said  the  squii-e.  "  Besides,  you 
agreed  to  come  for  ten." 

"  I  know  I  did ;  but  this  is  a  new  engagement." 

Finally  Abner  reduced  his  terms  to  twelve  dollars, 
an  advance  of  two  dollars  a  month,  to  which  the 
squire  was  forced  to  agree,  though  very  reluctantly. 
He  thought,  with  an  inward  groan,  that  but  for  his 
hasty  dismissal  of  Abner  the  night  before,  on  the 
supposition  that  he  could  obtain  Harry  in  his  place, 
he  would  not  have  been  compelled  to  raise  Abner's 
wages.  This  again  resulted  indirectly  from  selling 
the  cow,  which  had  put  the  new  plan  into  his  head. 
"When  the  squire  reckoned  up  this  item,  amounting 
in  six  months  to  twelve  dollars,  he  began  to  doubt 
whether  his  cow  trade  had  been  quite  so  good  after 
aU. 

"  I'll  get  it  out  of  Hiram  Walton  some  way,"  he 
muttered.  "  He's  a  great  fool  to  let  that  boy  have 
his  own  way.  I  thought  to  be  sure  he'd  oblige  me 
arter  the  favor  I  done  him  in  sellin'  him  the  cow. 
There's  gratitude  for  3'ou  ! " 

The  squire's  ideas  about  gratitude,  and  the  manner 
in  which  he  had  earned  it,  were  slightly  mixed,  it 


78  BOUND  TO  rise;  or,, 

must  be  acknowledged.  But,  though  he  knew  very 
well  that  he  had  been  influenced  only  by  the  consid- 
eration of  his  own  interest,  he  had  a  vague  idea  that 
he  was  entitled  to  some  credit  for  his  kindness  in 
consenting  to  sell  his  neighbor  a  cow  at  an  extortion- 
ate price. 

Harry  breathed  a  deep  sigh  of  relief  after  Squh'e 
Green  left  the  room. 

"  I  was  afraid  you  were  going  to  hire  me  out  to 
the  squire,  father,"  he  said. 

"You  didn't  enjoy  the  prospect,  did  you?"  said 
his  father,  smiling. 

"  Not  much." 

"Shouldn't  think  ho  would,"  said  his  brother  Tom. 
"  The  squire's  awful  stingy.  Abner  Kimball  told  me 
he  had  the  meanest  breakfast  he  ever  ate  anywhere." 

"  I  don't  think  any  of  his  household  are  in  danger 
of  contracting  the  gout  from  luxurious  living." 

"  I  guess  not,"  said  Tom. 

"  I  think,"  said  Jane  slily,  "  jou'd  better  hire  out 
Tom  to  the  squire." 

"  The  squu'e  would  have  tne  worst  of  the  bar- 
gain,"  said   his  father,  with  a  good-natui'ed  hit  at 


HARRY   TVALTON's  MOTTO.  79 

Tom's  sluggishness.  "  He  wouldn't  earn  his  Tboard, 
however  poor  it  might  be." 

"  The  squire  didn't  seem  to  like  it  yerj  well,"  said 
Mrs.  Walton,  looking  up  from  her  mending. 

"  No,  he  fully  expected  to  get  Harry  for  little  or 
nothing.  It  was  ridiculous  to  offer  two  dollars  a 
month  for  a  boy  of  his  age." 

"  I  am  afraid  he  will  be  more  disposed  to  be  hard 
on  you,  when  the  time  comes  to  pay  for  the  cow. 
He  told  you  he  wouldn't  extend  the  time." 

"  He  is  not  likely  to  after  this  ;  but,  wife,  we  won't 
borrow  trouble.  Something  may  turn  up  to  help 
us."  ,      ■ 

"  I  am  sm'e  I  shall  be  able  to  help  you  about  it, 
father,"  said  Harry. 

"  I  hope  so,  my  son,  but  don't  feel  too  certain. 
You  may  not   succeed   as  well  as   you  anticipate." 

"  I  know  that,  but  I  mean  to  try  at  any  rate." 

"  If  you  don't,  Tom  will,"  said  his  sister. 

"  Quit  teasin'  a  feller,  Jane,"  said  Tom.  "  I  aint 
any  lazier'n  you  are.     If^I  am,  I'll  eat  my  head." 

"Then  3-ou'll  have  to  eat  it,  Tom,"  retorted  Jane  ; 
"  and  it  won't  be  much  loss  to  you,  either." 


80  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

"Don't  dispute,  cliildren,"  said  Mrs.  Walton.  "  I 
expect  3'ou  both  -will  turn  over  a  new  leaf  by  and 
by." 

Meanwhile,  Harry  was  busily  reading  the  "  Life 
of  Franklin."  The  more  he  read,  the  more  hopeful 
he  became  as  to  the  future. 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  81 


CHAPTER    IX. 


HARRY  S   DEPARTURE. 


Monday  morning  came,  and  the  whole  family 
stood  on  the  gi'ass  plat  in  front  of  the  house,  ready 
to  bid  Harry  good-by.  He  was  encumbered  by  no 
trunk,  but  carried  his  scanty  supply  of  clothing 
wrapped  in  a  red  cotton  handkerchief,  and  not  a  very 
heavy  bundle  at  that.  He  had  cut  a  stout  stick  in 
the  woods  near  by,  and  from  the  end  of  this  sus- 
pended over  his  back  bore  the  bundle  which  con- 
tained all  his  worldly  fortune  except  the  twenty-five 
cents  which  was  in  his  vest  pocket. 

"  I  don't  like  to  have  you  go,"  said  his  mother, 
anxiousl}'.     "  Suppose  j'ou  don't  get  work? " 

"  Don't  wony  about  me,  mother,"  said  Harry, 
brightl3^     "  I'll  get  along  somehow." 

"  Remember  you've  got  a  home  here,  Harry,  what- 
ever happens,"  said  his  father. 

"  I  sha'n't  forget,  father." 


82  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

"  I  wish  I  was  going  with  you,"  said  Tom,  for  the 
first  time  fired  with  the  spirit  of  adventure. 

"What  could  you  do,  Tom?"  said  Jane,  teas- 
ingly. 

"  Work,  of  course." 

"  I  never  saw  you  do  it  3'et." 

"I'm  no  more  lazj'  than  you,"  retorted  Tom, 
offended. 

"  Don't  dispute,  children,  just  as  j'our  brother  is 
leaving  us,"  said  Mrs.  Walton. 

"Good-b}^,  mother,"  said  Harry,  feeling  an  un- 
wonted moistening  of  the  eyes,  as  he  reflected  that 
he  was  about  to  leave  the  house  in  which  he  had 
lived  since  infancy. 

"  Good-by,  m}^  dear  child,"  said  his  mother,  kiss- 
ing him.     "  Be  sure  to  write." 

"  Yes,  I  will." 

So  with  farewell  greetings  Harry  walked  out  into 
the  world.  He  had  all  at  once  assumed  a  man's 
responsibilities,  and  his  face  grew  serious,  as  he 
began  to  realize  that  he  must  now  look  out  for  him- 
self. 

His  native  village  was   situated  in  the   northern 


HARRT  Walton's  motto.  83 

part  of  New  Hampshire.  Not  far  away  could  be 
seen,  indistinct  in  the  distance,  the  towering  summits 
of  the  White  Mountain  range,  but  his  back  was 
turned  to  them.  In  the  South  were  larger  and  more 
thriving  villages,  and  the  wealth  was  greater.. 
Harry  felt  that  his  chances  would  be  greater  there. 
Not  that  he  had  any  particular  place  in  view. 
Wherever  there  was  an  opening,  he  meant  to  stop. 

"  I  won't  come  back  till  I  am  better  oif,"  he  said  to 
himself.  "  If  I  don't  succeed  it  won't  be  for  want 
of  tr3dng." 

He  walked  five  miles  without  stopping.  This 
brought  him  to  the  middle  of  the  next  town.  He 
was  3"et  on  familiar  ground,  for  he  had  been  here 
more  than  once.  He  felt  tired,  and  sat  down  b}^  the 
roadside  to  rest  before  going  farther.  While  he  sat 
there  the  doctor  from  his  own  village  rode  b}'',  and 
chanced  to  espj^  Harry,  whom  he  recognized. 

"What  brings  j^ou  here,  Harry?"  he  asked, 
stopping  his  chaise. 

"  I'm  going  to  seek  my  fortune,"  said  Harry. 

"  What,  away  from  home  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir." 


84  BOUND  TO  rise;  oh, 

"I  hadn't  heard  of  that,"  said  the  doctor,  sur- 
prised. "You  haven't  run  away  from  home?"  he 
asked,  "with  momentary  suspicion. 

"No,  indeed!"  said  Harry,  half  indignantly. 
"Father's  given  his  loermission  for  me  to  go." 

"  "Where  do  3-ou  expect  to  go? " 

"  South,"  said  Harr}^,  vaguely. 

"  And  what  do  you  expect  to  find  to  do?  " 

"I  don't  know,  —  an^^thing  that'll  bring  me  a 
living." 

"  I  like  your  spunlc,"  said  the  doctor,  after  a 
pause.  "If  you're  going  my  way,  as  I  suppose 
you  are,  I  can  carry  you  a  couple  of  miles.  That's 
better  than  walking,  isn't  it?" 

"  I  guess  it  is,"  said  Hany,  jumping  to  his  feet 
with  alacrity. 

In  a  minute  he  was  sitting  beside  Dr.  Dunham  in 
his  old-fashioned  chaise.  "  I  might  have  known  that 
you  were  not  running  away,"  said  the  doctor.  "  I 
should  be  more  liliely  to  suspect  your  brother  Tom." 

"  Tom's  too  lazy  to  run  away  to  earn  his  own 
living,"  said  Harry,  laughing,  "  as  long  as  he  can 
get  it  at  home." 


HARRY  WALTON^S  MOTTO.  85 

The  doctor  smiled. 

"  And  what  put  It  into  your  head  to  start  out  in 
this  way  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  The  first  thing  was,  reading  the  '  Life  of  Frank- 
lin.' " 

"  To  be  sure.     I  remember  his  story." 

"  And  the  next  thing  was,  because  my  father  is  so 
poor.  He  finds  it  hard  work  to  support  us  all.  The 
farm  is  small,  and  the  land  is  poor.  I  want  to  help 
him  if  I  can." 

'•  Very  commendable,  Harry,"  said  the  doctor, 
kindly  "You  owe  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  your  good 
father,  who  has  not  succeeded  so  well  in  life  as  he 
deserved." 

"  That's  true,  sir.  He  has  always  been  a  hard- 
working man." 

"  K  you  start  out  with  such  a  good  object,  I  think 
you  will  succeed.  Have  you  any  plans  at  all,  or  any 
idea  what  you  would  like  to  do  ? " 

"  I  thought  I  should  like  to  work  in  a  shoe-shop, 
if  I  got  a  chance,"  said  Harry. 

"  You  like  that  better  than  working  on  a  farm, 
then?" 


86  BOUND  TO  nisE;  or, 

"  Yes,  sir.  There  isn't  much  money  to  be  earned 
by  working  on  a  farm.  I  had  a  chance  to  do  that 
before  I  came  away." 

"  You  mean  working  on  your  father's  land,  I  sup- 
pose?" 

"  No,  Squire  Green  wanted  to  hire  me." 

"What  wages  did  he  offer?" 

"Two  dollars  a  month,  at  first.  Afterward  he  got 
up  to  three." 

The  doctor  smiled. 

"How  could  3'Ou  decline  such  a  magnificent 
offer?"  he  asked. 

"I  don't  think  I  should  lil^e  boarding  at  the 
squire's." 

"  A  dollar  is  twice  as  large  at  least  in  his  ej^es  as 
in  those  of  any  one  else." 

By  this  time  they  had  reached  a  place  where  a 
road  turned  at  right  angles. 

"  I  am  going  down  here,  Harry,"  said  the  doctor. 
"  I  should  like  to  have  you  ride  further,  but  I  sup- 
pose it  would  only  be  taking  jom  out  of  your  course." 

"  Yes,  doctor.     I'd  better  get  out." 

"  I'll  tell  your  father  I  saw  you." 


nARitY  Walton's  motto.  87 

"  Tell  him  I  was  in  good  spirits,"  said  Harry, 
earnestly.     "Mother'll  be  glad  to  know  that." 

"  I  will,  certainly.     Good-by  ! " 

"  Good-by,  doctor.     Thank  3^ou  for  the  ride." 

"  You  are  quite  welcome  to  that,  Harry." 

Harr}"  followed  with  his  e^-es  the  doctor's  chaise. 
It  seemed  like  severing  the  last  link  that  bound  him 
to  liis  native  village.  He  was  very  glad  to  have 
fallen  in  with  the  doctor,  but  it  seemed  all  the  more 
lonesome  that  he  had  left  him. 

Harry  walked  six  miles  farther,  and  then  decided 
that  it  was  time  to  rest  again.  He  was  not  only 
somewhat  fatigued,  but  decidedly  hungry,  although 
it  was  but  eleven  o'clock  in  the  forenoon.  However, 
it  must  be  considered  that  he  had  walked  eleven 
miles,  and  this  was  enough  to  give  any  one  an 
appetite. 

He  sat  down  again  beside  the  road,  and  untj'ing 
the  handkerchief  which  contained  his  worldly  pos- 
sessions, he  drew  therefrom  a  large  slice  of  bread 
and  began  to  eat  with  evident  relish.  There  was  a 
slice  of  cold  meat  also,  which  he  found  tasted  par- 
ticularly good. 


88  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

"I  wonder  whether  they  are  thinking  of  me  at 
home,"  he  said  to  himself. 

They  were  thinking  about  him,  and  when  an  hour 
later  the  family  gathered  around  the  table,  no  one 
seemed  to  have  much  appetite.  All  looked  sober, 
for  all  were  thinking  of  the  absent  son  and  brother. 

"  I  wish  Harry  was  here,"  said  Jane,  at  length, 
giving  voice  to  the  general  feeling. 

"  Poor  bo}","  sighed  his  mother.  "  I'm  afraid  he'll 
have  a  hard  time.  I  wish  he  had  staj^ed  at  home,  or 
even  have  gone  to  Squire  Green's  to  work.  Then  we 
could  have  seen  him  ever}^  day." 

"  I  should  have  pitied  him  more  if  he  had  gone 
there  than  I  do  now,"  said  his  father.  "  Depend 
upon  it,  it  will  be  better  for  him  in  the  end." 

"  I  hope  so,"  said  his  mother,  dubiously. 

"But  you  don't  feel  sure?  Well,  time  will  show. 
We  shall  hear  from  him  before  long." 

We  go  back  to  Harry. 

He  rested  for  a  couple  of  hours,  sheltered  from  the 
sun  by  the  foliage  of  the  oak  beneath  which  he  had 
stretched  himself.  He  whiled  away  the  time  b}^ 
reading  for  the  second  time  some  parts  of  the  "  Life 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  89 

of  Franklin,"  which  he  had  brought  away  in  his 
bundle,  with  his  few  other  possessions.  It  seemed 
even  more  interesting  to  him  now  that  he,  too,  like 
Franklin,  had  started  out  in  quest  of  fortune. 

He  resumed  walking,  but  we  will  not  dwell  upon 
the  details  of  his  journey.  At  six  o'clock  he  was 
twent3''-five  miles  from  home.  He  had  not  walked 
much  in  the  afternoon  when,  all  at  once,  he  was 
alarmed  by  observing  the  darkening  of  the  sky.  It 
was  evident  that  a  storm  was  approaching.  He 
looked  about  him  for  shelter  from  the  shower,  and 
a  place  where  he  could  pass  the  night. 


90  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 


CHAPTEK    X. 

A  STRANGE   ACQUAINTANCE. 

The  clouds  were  darkening,  and  the  shower  was 
evidently  not  far  off.  It  was  a  solitary  place,  and  no 
houses  were  to  be  seen  near  by.  But  nearly  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  back  Harry  caught  sight  of  a 
small  house,  and  jumping  over  the  fence  directed 
his  steps  toward  it.  Five  minutes  brought  him  to 
it.  It  was  small,  painted  red,  originally,  but  the 
color  had  mostly  been  washed  away.  It  was  not 
upon  a  public  road,  but  there  was  a  narrow  lane 
leading  to  it  from  the  highwa3%  Probably  it  was 
occupied  by  a  poor  family,  Harry  thought.  Still  it 
would  shelter  him  from  the  storm  which  had  even 
now  commenced. 

He  knocked  at  the  door. 

Immediately  it  was  opened,  and  a  face  peered  out, 
—  the  face  of  a  man  advanced  in  years.  It  was 
thin,  wrinkled,  and  haggard.     The  thin   white  hair 


HARRT  Walton's  motto.  91 

uncombed  gave  a  wild  appearance  to  tlie  owner,  who, 
in  a  tMn,  shrill  voice,  demanded,  "Who  are  you?" 

''  My  name  is  Harry  Walton." 

"  What  do  3'ou  want?" 

"  Shelter  from  the  storm.     It  is  going  to  rain." 

"  Come  in,"  said  the  old  man,  and  opening  the 
door  wider,  he  admitted  our  hero. 

Harry  found  himself  in  a  room  very  bare  of  furni- 
ture, but  there  was  a  log  fire  in  the  fireplace,  and 
this  looked  comfortable  and  pleasant.  He  laid  down 
his  bundle,  and  drawing  up  a  chair  sat  down  by  it, 
his  host  meanwhile  watching  him  closely. 

"Does  he  live  alone,  I  wonder?"  thought  Harry. 

He  saw  no  other  person  about,  and  no  traces  of  a 
woman's  presence.  The  floor  looked  as  if  it  had  not 
been  swept  for  a  month,  and  probably  it  had  not. 

The  old  man  sat  down  opposite  Harry,  and  stared 
at  him,  till  our  hero  felt  somewhat  embarrassed  and 
uncomfortable. 

"Why  don't  he  say  something?"  thought  Harry. 
"He  is  a  very  queer  old  man." 

After  a  while  his  host  spoke. 

"Do  you  know  who  I  am?"  he  asked. 


92  ,.     BOUND  TO  rise;  on, 

"  No,"  said  Harr}',  looking  at  him. 

"You've  heard  of  me  often,"  pursued  the  old  man. 

"  I  didn't  know  it,"  answered  Harry,  beginning  to 
feel  curious. 

"  In  history,"  added  the  other. 

"In  history?" 

"Yes." 

Harry  began  to  look  at  him  in  increased  surjDrise. 

"  Will  you  tell  me  your  name,  if  it  is  not  too  much 
trouble  ?  "  he  asked,  politely. 

"  I  gained  the  victory  of  New  Orleans,"  said  the 
old  man. 

"I  thought  General  Jackson  did  that,"  said 
Harry. 

"  You're  right,"  said  the  old  man,  complacently. 
"  I  am  General  Jackson." 

"But  General  Jackson  is  dead." 

"  That's  a  mistake,"  said  the  old  man,  quietly. 
"  That's  what  they  say  in  all  the  books,  but  it  isn't 
true." 

This  was  amusing,  but  it  was  also  startling. 
Harry  knew  now  that  the  old  man  was  crazy,  or  at 
least  a  monomaniac,  and,  though  he  seemed  harmless 


HARRY   WALTON'S  MOTTO.  93 

enough,  it  was  of  course  possible  that  he  might  he 
dangerous.  He  was  almost  sorry  that  he  had  sought 
shelter  here.  Better  have  encountered  the  storm  in 
its  full  fury  than  place  himself  in  the  power  of  a 
maniac.  The  rain  was  now  falling  in  thick  drops, 
and  he  decided  at  any  rate  to  remain  a  while  longer. 
He  knew  that  it  would  not  be  well  to  dispute  the  old 
man,  and  resolved  to  humor  his  delusion. 

"You  were  president  once,  I  believe?"  he  asked. 

"Yes,"  said  the  old  man;  "and  you  won't  tell 
anybody,  will  you?" 

"  No." 

"  I  mean  to  be  again,"  said  the  old  man  in  a  low 
voice,  half  in  a  whisper.  "  But  you  mustn't  say  any- 
thing about  it.  They'd  try  to  kill  me,  if  they 
knew  it." 

"Who  would?" 

"  Mr.  Henry  Clay,  and  the  rest  of  them." 

"Doesn't  Henry  Clay  want  you  to  be  president 
again?" 

"  Of  course  not.  He  wants  to  be  president  him- 
self. That's  why  I'm  hiding.  They  don't  any  of 
them  know  where  I  am.     You  won't  tell,  will  you?" 


94  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

"  No." 

"  You  might  meet  Henry  Claj-,  you  know." 

Harry  smiled  to  himself.  It  didn't  seem  very 
likely  that  he  would  ever  find  himself  in  such  dis- 
tinguished company,  for  Henry  Clay  was  at  that 
time  living,  and  a  United  States  Senator. 

"What  made  3'ou  come  here,  General  Jackson?" 
he  inquired. 

The  old  man  brightened,  on  being  called  by  this 
name. 

"Because  it  was  quiet.     They  can't  find  me  here." 

"  When  do  you  expect  to  be  president  again?  " 

"Next  year,"  said  the  old  man.  "I've  got  it  all 
arranged.  My  friends  are  to  blow  up  the  capitol, 
and  I  shall  ride  into  Washington  on  a  white  horse. 
Do  3'ou  want  an  office  ?  " 

"I  don't  know  but  I  should  like  one,"  said  Harry, 
amused. 

"  I'll  see  what  I  can  do  for  3'ou,"  said  the  old  man, 
seriously.  "  I  can't  put  you  in  my  Cabinet.  That's 
all  arranged.  If  3'ou  would  like  to  be  Minister  to 
England  or  to  France,  you  can  go." 


EARRY   WALTON^ S  MOTTO.  95 

"  I  should  like  to  go  to  France.  Benjamin  Frank- 
lin was  Minister  to  France." 

"  Do  3^ou  know  him  ?  " 

"  No  ;  but  I  have  read  his  life." 

"  I'll  put  your  name  down  in  my  book.  What  is 
it?" 

"  Harry  Walton." 

The  old  man  went  to  the  table  on  which  was  a 
common  account-book.  He  took  a  pen,  and,  with  a 
serious  look,  made  this  entry :  — 

"  I  promise  to  make  Harry  Walton  Minister  to 
France,  as  soon  as  I  take  my  place  in  the  White 
House. 

"  General  Akdrew  Jackson." 

"  It's  all  right  now,"  he  said. 

"  Thanlv  you,  General.  You  are  \&rj  kind,"  said 
our  hero. 

"  Were  you  ever  a  soldier  ? "  asked  his  host. 

"  I  never  was." 

"I  thought  you  might  have  been  in  the  battle  of 
New  Orleans.     Our  men  fought  splendidly,  sir." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  of  it." 


96  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

"You'll  read  all  about  it  in  history.  "We  fought 
behind  cotton  bales.     It  was  glorious  !  " 

"  General,"  said  Harry,  "  if  you'll  excuse  me,  I'll 
take  out  my  supper  from  this  bundle." 

"No,  no,"  said  the  old  man;  "you  must  take 
supper  with  me." 

"I  wonder  whether  he  has  anything  fit  to  eat," 
thought  Harry.  "  Thank  you,"  he  said  aloud.  "  If 
you  wish  it." 

The  old  man  had  arisen,  and  taking  a  tea-kettle, 
suspended  it  over  the  fire.  A  monomaniac  though 
he  was  on  the  subject  of  his  identity  with  General 
Jackson,  he  knew  how  to  make  tea.  Presently  he 
took  from  the  cupboard  a  baker's  roll  and  some  cold 
meat,  and  when  the  tea  was  readj- ,  invited  Harry  to 
be  seated  at  the  table.  Our  hero  did  so  willingly. 
He  had  lost  his  apprehensions,  perceiving  that  his 
companion's  lunacy  was  of  a  very  harmless  charac- 
ter. 

"  What  if  mother  could  see  me  now  ! "  he  thought. 

Still  the  rain  poured  down.  It  showed  no  signs 
of  slackening.  He  saw  that  it  would  be  necessary 
to  remain  where  he  was  through  the  night. 


ifARRT  Walton's  motto.  97 

"  General,  can  you  accommodate  me  till  morn- 
ing?" he  asked. 

"  Certainly,"  said  the  old  man.  "  I  shall  be  glad 
to  have  you  stay  here.  Do  you  go  to  France  to- 
morrow?" 

"  I  have  not  received  my  appointment  yet." 

"  True,  true ;  but  it  won't  be  long.  I  will  write 
your  instructions  to-night." 

"  Very  well." 

The  supper  was  plain  enough,  but  it  was  relished 
by  our  3- oung  traveller,  whose  long  walk  had  stimu- 
lated a  naturally  good  appetite. 

"  Eat  heartil}',  my  son,"  said  the  old  man.  "  A 
long  journe}^  is  before  j'ou." 

After  the  meal  was  over,  the  old  man  began  to 
write.  Harry  surmised  that  it  was  his  instructions. 
He  paid  little  heed,  but  fixed  his  eyes  upon  the  fire, 
listening  to  the  rain  that  continued  to  beat  against 
the  window-panes,  and  began  to  speculate  about  the 
future.  "Was  he  to  be  successful  or  not?  He  was 
not  without  solicitude,  but  he  felt  no  small  measure 
of  hope.  At  nine  o'clock  he  began  to  feel  drowsy, 
and  intimated  as  much  to  his  host.     The  old  man 


98  BOUND  TO  rise;  or,  ' 

conducted  him  to  an  upper  chamber,  where  there  was 
a  bed  upon  the  floor. 

"  You  can  sleep  there,"  he  said. 
•   "  Where  do  you  sleep?"  asked  Harry. 

"  Down  below  ;  but  I  shall  not  go  to  bed  till  late. 
I  must  get  readj^  your  instructions." 

"  Very  well,"  said  Harry.     "  Good-night." 

«  Good-night." 

"  I  am  glad  he  is  not  in  the  room  with  me," 
thought  Harry.  "  I  don't  think  there  is  any  danger, 
but  it  isn't  comfortable  to  be  too  near  a  crazy  man." 


HABBT  Walton's  motto.  99 


CHAPTER    XI 


THE  SHOE -SHOP. 


"When  Harry  woke  the  next  morning,  after  a  sound 
and  refreshing  sleep,  the  sun  was  shining  brightly  in 
at  the  window.  He  rubbed  his  eyes,  and  stared 
about  him,  not  at  first  remembering  where  he  was. 
But  almost  immediately  recollection  came  to  his  aid, 
and  he  smiled  as  he  thought  of  the  eccentric  old  man 
whose  guest  he  was.  He  leaped  out  of  bed,  and 
quickly  dressing  himself  went  downstairs.  The 
fire  was  burning,  and  breakfast  was  already  on  the 
table.  It  was  precisel}^  similar  to  the  supper  of  the 
night  previous.  The  old  man  sat  at  the  fireside 
smoking  a  pipe. 

"  Good-morning,  General,"  said  Harry.  "  I  am 
up  late." 

"  It  is  no  matter.  You  have  a  long  journej'-  before 
3'ou,  and  it  is  well  to  rest  well  before  starting." 


100  BOUND  TO  hise;  on, 

"Where  does  he  think  I  am  going?"  thought  our 
hero. 

"  Breakfast  is  ready,"  said  the  old  man,  hospita- 
bty.  "  I  can't  entertain  you  now  as  I  could  have 
done  when  I  was  president.  You  must  come  and  see 
me  at  the  White  House  next  year." 

"  I  should  like  to." 

Harry  made  a  hearty  breakfast.  When  it  was 
over,  he  rose  to  go. 

"  I  must  be  going,  General,"  he  said.  "  Thank 
3''oii  for  your  kind  entertaninment.  If  you  would 
allow  me  to  pay  you." 

"  General  Jackson  does  not  keep  an  inn,"  said  the 
old  man,  with  dignity.  "  You  are  his  guest.  I  have 
your  instructions  ready." 

He  opened  a  drawer  in  the  table,  and  took  out  a 
roll  of  foolscap,  tied  with  a  string, 

"  Put  it  in  your  bundle,"  he  said.  "  Let  no  one 
see  it.  Above  all,  don't  let  it  fall  into  the  hands  of 
Henr}^  Cla^^,  or  my  life  will  be  in  peril." 

Harry  solemnly  assured  him  that  Henry  Clay 
should  never  see  it,  and  shaking  the  old  man  by  the 
hand,  made  his  way  across  the  fields  to  the  main 


hauby  Walton's  motto.  101 

road.  Looking  back  from  time  to  time,  he  saw  the 
old  man  watching  him  from  his  place  in  the  doorway, 
his  eyes  shaded  by  his  hand. 

"He  is  the  strangest  man  I  ever  saw,"  thought 
Harr3\  "  Still  he  treated  me  kindly.  I  should  lilie 
to  find  out  some  more  about  him." 

When  he  reached  the  road  he  saw,  just  in  front  of 
him,  a  boy  of  about  his  own  age  driving  half  a  dozen 
cows  before  him. 

"  Perhaps  he  can  tell  me  something  about  the  old 
man." 

"Halloo  !  "  he  cried,  by  way  of  salutation. 

"  Halloo  !  "  rctm'ued  the  country  bo}^  "  Where 
are  you  going  ?  " 

"I  don't  know.  Wherever  I  can  find  work," 
answered  om-  hero. 

The  boy  laughed.  "  Dad  finds  enough  for  me  to 
do.  I  don't  have  to  go  after  it.  Haven't  you  got  a 
father?" 

"Yes." 

"  Wh}^  don't  you  work  for  him  ?" 

"  I  want  to  work  for  pay." 

"On  a  farm?" 


102  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

"  No.  I'll  work  in  a  shoe-sliop  if  I  get  a  chance, 
or  in  a  printing-office." 

"  Do  you  understand  the  shoe  business? '* 

"  No  ;  but  I  can  learn. 

"  Where  did  you  come  from?  " 

"  Granton." 

"You  didn't  come  from  there  this  morning?" 

"  No,  I  guess  not,  as  it's  over  twenty  miles.  Last 
night  I  stopped  at  General  Jackson's." 

The  boy  whistled. 

"  What,  at  the  old  crazy  man's  that  lives  down 
here  a  piece?" 

"  Yes." 

"  What  made  yoM  go  there? " 

"  It  began  to  rain,  and  I  had  no  other  place  to 
go." 

"What  did  he  say?"  asked  the  new  boy,  with 
cm'iosity.     "Did  he  cut  up?" 

"Cut  up?  No,  unless  you  mean  the  bread.  He 
cut  up  that." 

"I  mean,  how  did  he  act?  " 

"  All  right,  except  when  he  was  talking  about  be- 
ing General  Jackson." 


HAHRT  Walton's  motto.  103 

"  Did  3'ou  sleep  there?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  I  wouldn't." 

"Why  not?" 

"  I  wouldn't  sleep  in  a  crazy  man's  house." 

"  He  wouldn't  hurt  j^ou." 

"  I  don't  know  about  that.  He  chases  us  boys 
often,  and  threatens  to  kill  us." 

"  You  plague  him,  don't  you?  " 

"  I  guess  we  do.  We  call  him  '  Old  Crazy,'  and 
that  makes  him  mad.  He  says  Henry  Clay  puts  us 
up  to  it  —  ho,  ho,  ho  ! " 

"  He  thinks  Clay  is  his  enemy.     He  told  me  so." 

"What  did  3^ou  saj'-?" 

"  Oh,  I  didn't  contradict  him.  I  called  him  Gen- 
eral. He  treated  me  tip-top.  He  is  going  to  make 
me  Minister  to  France,  when  he  is  president  again." 

"  Maj^be  that  was  the  best  way  to  get  along." 

"How  long  has  he  lived  here?  What  made  him 
crazy  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know.     Folks  say  he  was  disappointed." 

"Did  he  ever  see  Jackson?" 

"  Yes  ;  he  fit  at  New  Orleans  under  him." 


104  BOUND  TO  rise;  on, 

"  Has  he  lived  long  around  here  ?  " 

"  Ever  since  I  can  remember.  He  gets  a  pension, 
I've  heard  father  say.     That's  what  keeps  him." 

Here  the  boy  reached  the  pasture  to  which  he  was 
driving  the  cows,  and  Hany,  bidding  him  "  good- 
b}-,"  went  on  his  way.  He  felt  fresh  and  vigorous, 
and  walked  ten  miles  before  he  felt  the  need  of  rest. 
When  this  distance  was  accomplished,  he  found  him- 
self in  the  centre  of  a  good-sized  village.  He  felt 
hungr}',  and  the  provision  which  he  brought  from 
home  was  nearly  gone.  There  was  a  grocery  store 
close  at  hand,  and  he  went  in,  thinking  that  he 
would  find  something  to  help  his  meal.  On  the 
counter  he  saw  some  rolls,  and  there  was  an  open 
barrel  of  apples  not  far  off. 

"What  do  3'ou  charge  for  your  rolls?"  he  asked. 

"  Two  cents." 

"  I'll  take  one.     How  do  you  sell  yom'  apj)les?  " 

"  A  cent  a  piece." 

"  I'll  take  two." 

Thus  for  four  cents  Harry  made  quite  a  substantial 
addition  to  his  meal.  As  he  left  the  store,  and 
walked  up  the  road,  with  the  roll  in  his  hand,  eating 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  105 

an  apple,  he  called  to  mind  Benjamin  Franklin's 
entrance  of  Philadelphia  with  a  roll  under  each  arm. 

"  I  hope  I  shall  have  as  good  luck  as  Franklin 
had,"  he  thought. 

Walking  slowly,  he  saw,  on  a  small  building  which 
he  hud  just  reached,  the  sign,  "  Post  Office." 

"Perhaps  the  postmaster  will  know  if  anj^body 
about  here  wants  a  boy,"  Harry  said  to  himself. 
"At  any   rate,  it  won't  do    any  harm   to   inquire." 

He  entered,  finding  himself  in  a  small  room,  with 
one  part  partitioned  ofi"  as  a  repository  for  mail  mat- 
ter. He  stepped  up  to  a  little  window,  and  pres- 
entl}^  the  postmaster,  an  elderly  man,  presented 
himself. 

"  What  name?  "  he  asked. 

"  I  haven't  come  for  a  letter,"  said  Harry, 

"What  do  you  want,  then?"  asked  the  official, 
but  not  roughly. - 

"Do  you  know  of  any  one  that  wants  to  hire  a 
boy?" 

"  Who's  the  boy  ? " 

"I  am.     I  want  to  get  a  chance  to  work." 

"What  kind  of  work?"  ■, 


106  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

"  Any  kind  that'll  pay  my  board  and  a  little  over." 

"  I  don't  know  of  any  place,"  said  the  postmaster, 
after  a  little  thought. 

"Isn't  there  any  shoe-shop  where  I  could  get  in?  " 

"  That  reminds  me  —  James  Leavitt  told  me  this 
morning  that  his  bo}'  was  going  to  Boston  to  go  into 
a  store  in  a  couple  of  months.  He's  been  pegging 
for  his  father,  and  I  guess  they'll  have  to  get  some- 
bod}"  in  his  place." 

Harry's  face  brightened  at  this  intelligence. 

"  That's  just  the  kind  of  place  I'd  like  to  get,"  he 
said.     "  Where  does  Mr.  Leavitt  live  ? " 

"  A  quarter  of  a  mile  from  here,  —  over  the 
bridge.  You'll  know  it  well  enough.  It's  a  cottage 
house,  with  a  shoe-shop  in  the  back  j^ard." 

"  Thank  3'ou,  su',"  said  Harry.  "  I'll  go  there  and 
txj  my  luck." 

"  Wait  a  minute,"  said  the  postmaster.  "There's 
a  letter  here  for  Mr.  Leavitt.  If  you're  going  there, 
you  may  as  well  carry  it  along.  It's  from  Boston. 
I  shouldn't  wonder  if  it's  about  the  place  Bob 
Leavitt  wants." 

"  I'll  take  it  with  pleasure,"  said  Harry, 


HARRY  WALTON^S  MOTTO.  107 

It  occurred  to  him  that  it  would  be  a  good  intro- 
duction for  him,  and  pave  the  way  for  his  applica- 
tion. 

"  I  hope  I  may  get  a  chance  to  work  for  this  Mr. 
Leavltt,"  he  said  to  himself.  "I  like  the  looks  of 
this  \dllage.     I  should  like  to  live  here  for  a  while." 

He  walked  up  the  street,  crossing  the  bridge  re- 
ferred to  by  the  postmaster,  and  looked  carefully  on 
each  side  of  him  for  the  cottage  and  shop.  At 
length  he  came  to  a  place  which  answered  the  de- 
scription, and  entered  the  yard.  As  he  neared  the 
shop  he  heard  a  noise  which  indicated  that  work  was 
going  on  inside.    He  opened  the  door,  and  entered. 


108  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 


CHAPTER    XII 


THE    NEW   APPRENTICE. 


Harry  found  himself  in  a  room  about  twent3'-five 
feet  by  twent3\  The  floor  was  covered  with  scraps 
of  leather.  Here  stood  a  deep  wooden  box  contain- 
ing a  case  of  shoes  ready  to  send  off.  There  was  a 
stove  in  the  centre,  in  which,  however,  as  it  was  a 
warm  day,  no  fire  was  burning.  There  were  three 
persons  present.  One,  a  man  of  middle  age,  was 
Mr.  James  Leavitt,  the  proprietor  of  the  shop.  His 
son  Robert,  about  seventeen,  worked  at  an  adjoining 
bench.  Tom  Gavitt,  a  journe3''man,  a  short,  thick- 
set man  of  thirty,  emplo^-ed  by  Mr.  Leavitt,  was 
the  third. 

The  three  looked  up  as  Harrj'-  entered  the  shop. 

"  I  have  a  letter  for  Mr.  Leavitt,"  said  our  hero. 

"  That  is  mj  name,"  said  the  eldest  of  the  party. 

Harry  advanced,  and  placed  it  in  his  hands. 

"  Where  did  you  get  this  letter?" 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  109 

"  At  the  post-ofl3ce." 

"  I  can't  call  j^ou  by  name.  Do  you  live  about 
here  ?  ** 

"  No,  I  came  from  Granton." 

No  further  questions  were  asked  just  then,  as  Mr. 
Leavitt,  suspending  work,  opened  the  letter. 

"  It's  from  3'our  Uncle  Benjamin,"  he  said,  ad- 
dressing Eobert.     "  Let  us  see  what  he  has  to  say." 

He  read  the  letter  in  silence. 

"  What  does  he  say,  father? "  asked  Robert. 

"  He  says  he  shall  be  ready  to  take  you  the  first 
of  September.  That's  in  six  weeks,  —  a  little 
sooner  than  we  calculated.  I  wish  it  were  a  little 
later,  as  work  is  brisk,  and  I  may  find  it  difficult  to 
fill  your  place  without  paying  more  than  I  want  to." 

"  I  guess  you  can  pick  up  somebody,"  said  Robert, 
who  was  anxious  to  go  to  Boston  as  soon  as  possible. 

"  "Won't  3'ou  hire  me?  "  asked  Harry,  who  felt  that 
the  time  had  come  for  him  to  announce  his  business. 

Mr.  Leavitt  looked  at  him  more  attentively. 

"  Have  you  ever  worked  in  a  shop  ?  " 

"  No,  sir." 

"  It  will  take  you  some  time  to  learn  pegging." 


110  BOUND   TO  niSE;   OR, 

"  I'll  work  for  my  board  till  I've  learned." 

"  But  you  won't  be  able  to  do  all  I  want  at  first." 

"  Suppose  I  begin  now,"  said  Harry,  "  and  work 
for  my  board  till  your  son  goes  away.  By  that  time 
I  can  do  considerable." 

"  I  don't  know  but  that's  a  good  idea,"  said  Mr. 
Leavitt.     "  What  do  you  think.  Bob  ?  " 

"  Better  take  him,  father,"  said  Robert,  who  felt 
that  it  would  facilitate  his  own  plans. 

"  How  much  would  you  want  after  you  got 
learned  ?  "  asked  the  father. 

,    "  I  don't  know  what  would  be  a  fair  price,"  said 
Harry. 

"  I'll  give  you  three  dollars  a  week  and  board," 
said  Mr.  Leavitt,  after  a  little  consideration, — 
"  that  is,  if  I  am  satisfied  with  you." 

"  I'll  come,"  said  Harry,  promptly.  He  rapidly 
calculated  that  there  would  be  about  twenty  weeks 
for  which  he  would  receive  pay  before  the  six  months 
expired,  at  the  end  of  which  the  cow  must  be  paid 
for.  This  would  give  him  sixty  dollars,  of  which  he 
thought  he  should  be  able  to  save  forty  to  send  or 
carry  to  his  father. 


MAjmT  Walton's  motto.  Ill 

"How  did  you  happen  to  come  to  me?"  asked 
Mr.  Leavitt,  with  some  curiosity. 

"  I  heard  at  the  post-office  that  your  son  was  going 
to  the  city  to  work,  and  I  thought  I  could  get  in 
here." 

"  Is  your  father  living?  " 

"  Yes  ;  my  father  and  mother  "both." 

"  What  business  is  he  in?  " 

"  He  is  a  farmer ;  but  his  farm  is  small,  and  not 
very  profitable." 

"  So  you  thought  you  would  leave  home  and  try 
something  else  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  "Well,  we  will  try  you  at  shoemaking.  Eobert, 
you  can  teach  him  what  you  know  about  pegging." 

"  Come  here,"  said  Robert.  "  What  is  your 
name  ?  " 

"  Harry  Walton." 

"  How  old  are  you?  " 

"  Fifteen." 

"Did  you  ever  work  much?  "  * 

"  Yes,  on  a  farm." 

"  Do  you  think  you'll  like  shoemaking  better?'* 


112  BOUND  TO  nisE;  on, 

"  I  don't  know  yet,  but  I  think  I  shall.  I  like 
almost  anything  better  than  farming." 

"And  I  like  almost  anj'thing  better  than  pegging. 
I  began  when  I  was  only  twelve  j-ears  old,  and  I'm 
sick  of  it." 
■    "  What  kind  of  a  store  is  it  you  are  going  into?  " 

"Dry  goods.  My  Uncle  Benjamin  Streeter, 
mother's  brother,  keeps  a  dry  goods  store  on 
Washington  street.  It'll  be  jolly  living  in  the 
city." 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  Harry,  thoughtfull3^  "  I 
think  I  like  a  village  just  as  well." 

"  What  sort  of  a  place  is  Granton.  where  3^ou 
come  from  ?  " 

"  It's  a  farming  town.  There  isn't  any  village  at 
all." 

"  There  isn't  much  going  on  here." 

"  There'll  be  more  than  in  Granton.  There's 
nothing  to  do  there  but  to  work  on  a  farm." 

"I  shouldn't  like,  that  mj^sclf;  but  the  city's  the 
best  of  all."      " 

"  Can  3"ou  make  more  mone}^  in  a  store  than  worli- 
ing  in  a  shoe-shop  ?  " 


HAHRY   WALTON^ S   MOTTO.  113 

"  Not  so  much  at  first,  but  after  j^ou've  got  learned 
there's  better  chances.  There's  a  clerk,  that  went 
from  here  ten  years  ago,  that  gets  fifty  dollars  a 
week." 

"Does. he?"  asked  Harry,  to  whose  rustic  inex- 
perience this  seemed  like  an  immense  salary.  "  I 
didn't  think  any  clerk  ever  got  so  much." 

"  They  get  it  often  if  they  are  smart,"  said  Robert. 

Here  he  was  wrong,  however.  Such  cases  are  ex- 
ceptional, and  a  city  dry  goods'  clerk,  considering 
his  higher  rate  of  expense,  is  no  better  off  than 
many  country  mechanics.  But  country  boj^s  are  apt 
to  form  wrong  ideas  on  this  subject,  and  are  in  too 
great  haste  to  forsake  good  country  homes  for  long 
hours  of  toil  behind  a  cit}'  counter,  and  a  poor  home 
in  a  dingy,  third-class  cit}-  boarding-house.  It  is 
only  in  the  wholesale  houses,  for  the  most  part,  that 
high  salaries  are  paid,  and  then,  of  course,  only  to 
those  who  have  shown  superior  energy  and  capacity. 
Of  course  some  do  achieve  success  and  become  rich ; 
but  of  the  tens  of  thousands  who  come  from  the 
country  to  seek  clerkships,  but  a  very  small  propor- 
tion rise  above  a  small  income.     ' 


114  BOUND  TO  hise;  or, 

"I  shall  have  a  start,"  Robert  proceeded,  "fori 
go  into  my  uncle's  store.  I  am  to  board  at  his 
house,  and  get  three  dollars  a  week." 

"  That's  what  your  father  offers  me,"  said  Harry. 

"  Yes  ;  you'll  earn  more  after  a  while,  and  I  can 
now  ;  but  I'd  rather  live  in  the  city.  There's  lots  to 
see  in  the  city  —  theatres,  circuses,  and  all  kinds  of 
amusements." 

"  You  won't  have  much  money  to  spend  on 
theatres,"  said  Harry,  prudently. 

"  Not  at  first,  but  I'll  get  raised  soon." 

"  I  think  I  should  try  to  save  as  much  as  I  could." 

"  Out  of  three  dollars  a  week?" 

"Yes." 

"  What  can  you  save  up  out  of  that?  " 

"  I  expect  to  save  half  of  it,  perhaps  more." 

"  I  couldn't  do  that.     I  want  a  little  fun." 

"  You  see  m}^  father's  poor.  I  want  to  help  him 
all  I  can." 

"  That's  good  advice  for  you.  Bob,"  said  Mr. 
Leavitt.     "Save  up  money,  and  help  me." 

Robert  laughed. 

"  You'll  have  to  wait  till  I  get  bigger  paj^,"  said  he. 


HARRY   WALTON' a   MOTTO.  115 

"  Your  father's  better  off  than  mine,"  said  Harry. 
"  Of  course,  if  he  don't  need  it,  that  makes  a  differ- 
ence." 

Here  the  sound  of  a  bell  was  heard,  proceeding 
from  the  house. 

"  Eobert,"  said  his  father,  "  go  in  and  tell  your 
mother  to  put  an  extra  seat  at  the  table.  She 
doesn't  know  that  we've  got  a  new  boarder." 

He  took  off  his  apron,  and  washed  his  hands. 
Tom  Gavitt  followed  his  example,  but  didn't  go  into 
the  house  of  his  emplo^^er.  He  lived  in  a  house  of 
Ms  own  about  five  minutes'  walk  distant,  but  left  the 
shop  at  the  same  time.  In  a  country  village  the 
general  dinner  hour  is  twelve  o'clock  —  a  very  un- 
fashionably  early  hour  —  but  I  presume  any  of  ray 
readers  who  had  been  at  work  from  seven  o'clock 
would  have  no  difficult}^  in  getting  up  a  good  appe- 
tite at  noon. 

Eobert  went  in  and  informed  his  mother  of  the 
new  boarder.  It  made  no  difference,  for  the  table 
was  always  well  supplied. 

"  This    is     Harry    Walton,    mother,"     said    Mr. 


116  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

Lcavitt,  "  our  new  apprentice.  He  will  take  Bob's 
place  when  he  goes." 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  3'ou,"  said  Mrs.  Leavitt,  hos- 
pitably.    "  You  may  sit  here,  next  to  Robert." 

"What  have  j'ou  got  for  us  to-da^^,  mother?" 
asked  her  husband. 

"A  picked-up  dinner.  There's  some  cold  beef 
left  over  from  yesterdaj^,  and  I've  made  an  apple 
pudding." 

"  That's  good.     "We  don't  want  anj'^thing  better." 

So  Harry  thought.  Accustomed  to  the  painful 
frugality  of  the  table  at  home,  he  regarded  this  as  a 
splendid  dinner,  and  did  full  justice  to  it. 

In  the  afternoon  he  resumed  work  in  the  shop 
under  Robert's  guidance.  He  was  in  excellent 
spirits.  He  felt  that  he  ^^■as  very  fortunate  to  have 
gained  a  place  so  soon,  and  determined  to  write 
home  that  same  evening. 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  Ill 


CHAPTER    XIII. 


THE   TOWN   LIBRARY. 


The  summer  passed  quickly,  and  the  time  arrived 
for  Robert  Leavitt  to  go  to  tlie  cit3%  By  this  time 
Harry  was  well  qualified  to  take  his  place.  It  had 
not  been  difficult,  for  he  had  only  been  required  to 
peg,  and  that  is  learned  in  a  short  time.  Harry, 
however,  proved  to  be  a  quick  workman,  quicker,  if 
anything,  than  Robert,  though  the  latter  had  been 
accustomed  to  the  work  for  several  years.  Mr. 
Leavitt  was  well  satisfied  with  his  new  apprentice, 
and  quite  content  to  pay  him  the  three  dollars  a 
week  agreed  upon.  In  fact,  it  was  a  saving  to  have 
one  who  could  board  iu  his  family,  as  it  diminished 
the  amount  of  cash  he  was  called  upon  to  pay. 

"  Good-by,  Harry,"  said  Robert,  as  he  saw  the 
coach  coming  up  the  road,  to  take  him  to  the  rail- 
road station. 

"  Good-by,  and  good  luck ! "  said  Harry. 


118  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

"Wlien  you  come  to  the  city,  come  and  see  me." 

"  I  don't  think  I  shall  be  going  very  soon.  I  can't 
afford  it." 

"  You  must  save  up  your  wages,  and  you'll  have 
enough  soon." 

"  I've  got  another  use  for  my  wages,  Bob." 

"  To  buy  cigars?  " 

Harry  shook  his  head.  "  I  shall  save  it  up  to 
carry  home." 

"  Well,  you  must  tr^-  to  make  m}"  place  good  in  the 
shop." 

"  He  can  do  that,"  said  Mr.  Leavitt,  slyly ;  "  but 
there's  one  place  where  he  can't  equal  3'ou." 

"Where  is  that?" 

"  At  the  dinner-table." 

"You've  got  me  there,  father,"  said  Bob,  good- 
naturedly.      "  Well,  good-by  all,  here's   the  stage." 

In  a  minute  more  he  was  gone.  Harry  felt  rather 
lonely,  for  he  had  grown  used  to  working  beside 
him.  But  his  spirits  rose  as  he  reflected  that  the 
time  had  now  come  when  he  should  be  in  receipt  of 
an  income.  Three  dollars  a  week  made  him  feel  rich 
in   anticipation.     He    looked  forward   already  with 


HARRY   WALTON^ S  MOTTO.  119 

satisfaction  to  the  time  when  he  might  go  home  with 
money  enough  to  paj^  off  his  father's  debt  to  Squire 
Green.  But  he  was  not  permitted  to  cany  out  his 
economical  purpose  without  a  struggle.  On  Satur- 
day evening,  after  he  had  received  his  week's  paj^, 
Luke  Harrison,  M^ho  worked  in  a  shop  near  by,  met 
him  at  the  post-office. 

"  Come  along,  Harry,"  he  said.  "  Let  us  play  a 
game  of  billiards." 

"  You  must  excuse  me,"  said  Harry. 

"  Oh,  come  along,"  said  Luke,  taking  him  by  the 
arm  ;  "  it's  only  twenty-five  cents." 

"  I  can't  afford  it." 

"  Can't  afford  it !  Now  that's  nonsense.  You 
just  changed  a  two-dollar  note  for  those  postage 
stamps." 

"  I  know  that ;  but  I  must  save  that  money  for 
another  purpose." 

"What's  the  use  of  being  stingy,  Harry?  Try 
one  game." 

"You  can  get  somebody  else  to  play  with  you, 
Lulce." 


120  BOUND  TO  msE;  or, 

"  Oh,  hang  it,  if  you  care  so  much  for  a  quarter, 
I'll  pay  for  the  game  myself.     Only  come  aucl  play." 

Harry  shook  his  head. 

"  I  don't  want  to  amuse  myself  at  3'our  expense." 

"  You  are  a  raiser,"  said  Luke,  angi'ily. 

•'  You  can  call  me  so,  if  you  like,"  said  Harry, 
fii'ml}^ ;  "  but  that  won't  make  it  so." 

"  I  don't  see  how  3'ou  can  call  ^^om'self  anything 
else,  if  you  are  so  afraid  to  spend  joux  money." 

"  I  have  good  reasons." 

"What  are  they?" 

"  I  told  3'ou  once  that  I  had  another  use  for  the 
mone3\" 

"  To  hoard  away  in  an  old  stocking,"  said  Luke, 
sneering. 

"  You  may  say  so,  if  you  like,"  said  Harry,  turn- 
ing away. 

He  knew  he  was  right,  but  it  was  disagreeable  to 
be  called  a  miser.  He  was  too  proud  to  justify  him- 
self to  Luke,  who  spent  ail  his  money  foolishly, 
though  earning  considerably  larger  wages  than  he. 

There  was  one  thing  that  Harry  had  not  yet  been 
able  to  do  to  any  great  extent,  though  it  was  some- 


ITARRT   WALTON^S  MOTTO.  121 

thing  he  had  at  heart.  He  had  not  forgotten  his 
motto,  "  Live  and  Learn,"  and  now  that  he  was  in 
a  fair  way  to  make  a  living,  he  felt  that  he  had 
made  no  advance  in  learning  during  the  few  weeks 
since  he  arrived  in  Glenville.  The  da^^  previous  he 
had  heard,  for  the  first  time,  that  there  was  a  public 
library  in  another  part  of  the  town,  which  was  open 
evenings.  Though  it  was  two  miles  distant,  and  he 
had  been  at  work  all  day,  he  determined  to  walk  up 
there  and  get  a  book.  He  felt  that  he  was  very  igno- 
rant, and  that  his  advance  in  the  world  depended 
upon  his  improving  all  opportunities  that  might  pre- 
sent themselves  for  extending  his  limited  knowledge. 
This  was  evidently  one. 

After  his  unsatisfactory  intervieAv  with  Luke,  he  set 
out  for  the  upper  village,  as  it  was  called.  Forty 
minutes'  walk  brought  him  to  the  building  in  which 
the  library  was  kept;  An  elderly  man  had  charge  of 
it,  —  a  Mr.  Parmenter. 

"  Can  I  take  out  a  book?  "  asked  Harry. 

"  Do  you  live  in  town  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sii'." 


122  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

"  I  don't  remember  seeing  yon  before.  You  don't 
live  in  this  village,  do  you?" 

"No,  sir.     I  live  in  the  lower  village." 

"  What  is  your  name  ?  " 

"  Harry  Walton." 

"  I  don't  remember  any  Walton  famil3^" 

"  My  father  lives  in  Granton.  I  am  working  for 
Mr.  James  Leavitt." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  this  is  quite  correct,  but  I  shall 
have  to  have  Mr.  Leavitt's  certificate  to  that  effect, 
before  I  can  put  your  name  down,  and  trust  you  with 
books." 

"Then  can't  I  take  any  book  to  night?"  asked 
Harry,  disappointed. 

"  I  am  afraid  not." 

So  it  seemed  his  two-mile  walk  was  for  nothing. 
He  must  retrace  his  steps  and  come  again  Monday 
night. 

He  was  turning  away  disappointed  when  Dr. 
Townley,  of  the  lower  village,  who  lived  near  Mr. 
Leavitt,  entered  the  library. 

"  My^wife  wants  a  book  in  exchange  for  this,  Mr. 
Parmenter,"  he  said.     "  Have  you  got  anything  new 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  123 

in  ?  All,  Hany  Walton,  how  came  j^ou  here  ?  Do 
you  take  books  out  of  the  librarj'-  ?  " 

"  That  is  what  I  came  up  for,  but  the  librarian  sa^'s 
I  must  bring  a  line  from  Mr.  Leavitt,  telling  who  I  am. 

"  K  Dr.  Townley  knows  you,  that  is  sufficient,"  said 
the  librarian. 

"  He  is  all  right,  Mr.  Parmenter.  He  is  a  young 
neighbor  of  mine." 

"  That  is  enough.     He  can  select  a  book." 

Harry  was  quite  relieved  at  this  fortunate  meeting, 
and  after  a  little  reflection  selected  the  first  volume 
of  Rollin's  Universal  History,  a  book  better  known 
to  our  fathers  than  the  present  generation. 

"  That's  a  good,  solid  book,  Harry,"  said  the  doctor. 
"  Most  of  our  3'oung  people  select  stories." 

"  I  lUie  stories  very  much,"  said  Hany,  "  but  I  have 
only  a  little  time  to  read,  and  T  must  try  to  learn 
something." 

"  You  are  a  sensible  boy,"  said  the  doctor,  emphat- 
ically. "  I  am  afraid  there  are  few  of  om'  young  peo- 
ple who  take  such  wise  views  of  what  is  best  for  them. 
Most  care  onl}'  for  present  enjoyment." 

"  I  have  got  my  own  way  to  make,"  said  Harrj', 


124  BOUND    TO    HISE;    07?, 

"and  I  suppose  that  is  -what  influences  me.  My 
father  is  poor  and  cannot  help  me,  and  I  want  to  rise 
in  the  world." 

"  You  are  going  the  right  way  to  work.  Do  you 
intend  to  take  out  books  often  from  the  librar}-  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  It  will  be  a  long  walk  for  you  from  the  lower  vil- 
lage." 

"I  would  walk  farther  rather  than  do  without 
the  books." 

"  I  can  save  you  at  any  rate  from  walking  back. 
My  chaise  is  outside,  and,  if  j'ou  will  jump  in,  I  will 
carry  you  home." 

"  Thank  you,  doctor.     I  shall  be  very  glad  to  ride." 

On  the  way,  Dr.  Townley  said,  "  I  have  a  few  mis- 
cellaneous books  in  my  medical  library,  which  I  will 
lend  to  3^ou  with  pleasure,  if  you  will  come  in.  It 
may  save  you  an  occasional  walk  to  the  library." 

Harry  thanked  him,  and  not  long  afterward  availed 
himself  of  this  considerate  proposal.  Dr.  Townle}' 
was  liberally  educated,  and  as  far  as  his  professional 
engagements  would  permit  kept  up  with  general  liter- 
ature.    He  gave  Harry  some  valuable  directions  as  to 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  125 

the  books  which  it  would  benefit  him  to  read,  and 
more  than  once  took  him  up  on  the  road  to  the  library. 

Once  a  week  regularly  Harry  wrote  home.  He 
knew  that  his  letters  would  give  pleasure  to  the  fam- 
ily, and  he  never  allowed  anything  to  interfere  with 
his  duty. 

His  father  wrote :  "  We  are  getting  on  about  as 
usual.  The  cow  does  tolerably  well,  but  is  not  as 
good  as  the  one  I  lost.  I  have  not  yet  succeeded  in 
laying  up  anything  toward  paying  for  her.  Some- 
how, whenever  I  have  a  few  dollars  laid  aside  Tom 
wants  shoes,  or  your  sister  wants  a  dress,  or  some 
other  expense  swallows  it  up." 

Harry  wrote  in  repl}' :  "  Don't  trouble  j^ourself, 
father,  about  your  debt  to  Squire  Green.  If  I  have 
steady  work,  and  keep  my  health,  I  shall  have  enough 
to  pay  it  by  the  time  it  comes  due." 


126 


BovxD  TO  rise;  or. 


CHAPTER    XIV 


A  FINANCIAL   PROBLEM. 


At  the  end  of  six  weeks  from  the  date  of  Robert's 
departure,  Harry  had  been  paid  eighteen  dollars. 
Of  this  sum  he  had  spent  but  one  dollar,  and  kept 
the  balance  in  his  pocket-book.  He  did  not  care  to 
send  it  home  until  he  had  enough  to  meet  Squire 
Green's  demand,  knowing  that  his  father  would  be 
able  to  meet  his  ordinary  expenses.  Chieflj^  tlu'ough 
the  reports  of  Luke  Harrison  he  was  acquuing  the 
reputation  of  meanness,  though,  as  we  know,  he  was 
far  from  deserving  it. 

"  See  how  the  fellow  dresses,"  said  Luke,  con- 
temptuously, to  two  of  his  companions  one  evening. 
"  His  clothes  are  shabby  enough,  and  he  hasn't  got 
an  overcoat  at  all.  He  hoards  his  money^  and  is  too 
stingy  to  buy  one.  See,  there  he  comes,  buttoned  to 
the  chin  to  keep  warm,  and  I  suppose  he  has  more 
money  in  his  pocket-book  than   the  whole  of  ua 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  127 

together.  I  wouldn't  be  as  mean  as  he  is  for  a  hun- 
dred dollars." 

"  You'd  rather  get  trusted  for  joiw  clothes  than  do 
without  them,"  said  Frank  Heath,  slyly  ;  for  he  hap- 
pened to  know  that  Luke  had  run  up  a  bill  with  the 
tailor,  about  which  the  latter  was  getting  anxious. 

"  What  if  I  do,"  said  Luke,  sharplj^,  "  as  long  as  I 
am  going  to  pay  for  them  ?  " 

"Oh,  nothing,"  said  Frank.  "I  didn't  say  any- 
thing against  it,  did  I  ?  I  suppose  you  are  as  able  to 
owe  the  tailor  as  any  one." 

B}^  this  time,  Harry  had  come  up. 

"Where  are  j^ou  going,  Walton?"  asked  Luke. 
"  You  look  cold." 

"  Yes,  it's  a  cold  day." 

"  Left  your  overcoat  at  home,  didn't  you?'' 

Harry  colored.  The  fact  was,  he  felt  the  need  of 
an  overcoat,  but  didn't  know  how  to  manage  getting 
one.  At  the  lowest  calculation,  it  would  cost  all  the 
money  he  had  saved  uj)  for  one,  and  the  purchase 
would  defeat  all  his  plans.  The  one  he  had  worn  at 
home  during  the  previous  winter  was  too  small  for 
him,  and  had  been  given  to  his  brother. 


128  BOUND  TO  hise;  or, 

"If  I  only  could  get  through  the  winter  without 
one,"  he  thought,  "I  should  be  all  right."  But  a 
New  England  winter  is  not  to  be  braved  with  im- 
punity, unless  protected  by  adequate  clothing. 
Luke's  sneer  was  therefore  not  without  effect.  But 
he  answered,  quietty,  "  I  did  not  leave  it  at  home, 
for  I  have  none  to  leave." 

"  I  suppose  you  are  bound  to  the  tailor's  to  order 
one."  * 

"What  makes  you  think  so?"  asked  Harry. 

"  You  are  not  such  a  fool  as  to  go  without  one 
when  you  have  money  in  your  pocket,  are  you  ?  " 

"You  seem  very  curious  about  m}^  private  affairs," 
said  Harry,  rather  provoked. 

"He's  only  drumming  up  customers  for  the 
tailor,"  said  Frank  Heath.  "  He  gets  a  commission 
on  all  he  brings." 

"That's  the  way  he  pays  his  bills,"  said  Sam 
Anderson. 

"Quit  fooling,  boys,"  said  Luke,  irritated.  "I 
aint  a  drummer.     I  pay  m}^  bills,  like  a  gentleman." 

"  By  keeping  the  tailor  waiting,"  said  Frank. 

"  Quit  that ! " 


nAnnr  walton's  motto.  129 

So  attention  Tvas  diverted  from  Harry  by  this 
opportune  attack  upon  Luke,  much  to  our  hero's 
relief.  Nevertheless,  he  saw,  that  in  order  to  pre- 
serve his  health,  he  must  have  some  outer  garment, 
and  in  order  the  better  to  decide  what  to  do,  he  con- 
cluded to  step  into  the  tailor's,  and  inquire  his 
prices. 

The  tailor,  Merrill  b}^  name,  had  a  shop  over  the 
dry  goods  store,  and  thither  Harry  directed  his 
steps.  There  was  one  other  person  in  the  shop,  a 
young  fellow  but  little  larger  than  Harry,  though  two 
years  older,  who  was  on  a  visit  to  an  aunt  in  the 
neighborhood,  but  lived  in  Boston.  He  belonged  to 
a  rich  family,  and  had  command  of  considerable 
money.  His  name  was  Maurice  Tudor.  He  had 
gone  into  the  shop  to  leave  a  coat  to  be  repaired. 

"  How  are  you,, Walton?"  he  said,  for  he  knew  our 
hero  slightly. 

"  Pretty  well,  thank  you." 

"  It's  pretty  cold  for  October." 

"  Yes,  unusually  so." 

"Mr.  Merrill,"  said  Harry,  "I  should  like  to  in- 


130  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

quire  the  price  of  an  overcoat.  I  may  want  to  order 
one  by  and  by." 

"What  sort  of  one  do  you  want  —  pretty  nice?" 

"  No,  I  can't  afford  anj^thing  nice,  —  something  as 
cheap  as  possible." 

"  This  is  the  cheapest  goods  I  have,"  said  the 
tailor,  pointing  to  some  coarse  cloth  near  by.  "  I  can 
make  you  up  a  coat  from  that  for  eighteen  dollars." 

"  Eighteen  dollars  ! "  exclaimed  Harry,  in  dismay. 
"  Is  that  the  cheapest  you  have?  " 

"  The  very  cheapest." 

After  a  minute's  pause  he  added,  "I  might  take 
off  a  dollar  for  cash.  I've  got  enough  of  running 
up  bills.  There's  Luke  Harrison  owes  me  over 
thirty  dollars,  and  I  don't  believe  he  means  to  pay 
it  at  aU." 

"If  I  buy,  I  shall  pay  cash,"  said  Harry,  quietly. 

"  You  can't  get  anything  cheaper  than  this,"  said 
the  tailor. 

"  Very  likely  not,"  said  Harry,  soberly.  "  I'll 
think  about  it,  and  let  you  know  if  I  decide  to 
take  it." 

Maurice  Tudor  was  a  silent  listener  to  this  dia- 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  131 

logue.  He  saw  Harrj^'s  sober  expression,  and  he 
noticed  the  tone  in  wMcli  he  repeated  "  eighteen 
dollars,"  and  he  guessed  the  truth.  He  lingered 
after  Harry  went  out,  and  said  :  — 

"  That's  a  good  fellow." 

"  Harry  Walton  ?  "  repeated  the  tailor  "  Yes,  he's 
worth  a  dozen  Luke  Harrisons." 

"Has  he  been  in  the  village  long?  " 

"  No,  not  more  than  two  or  three  months.  He 
works  for  Mr.  Leavitt." 

"  He  is  rather  poor,  I  suppose." 

"  Yes.  The  boys  call  him  mean  ;  but  Leavitt  tells 
me  he  is  saving  up  every  cent  to  send  to  his  father, 
who  is  a  poor  farmer." 

"  That's  a  good  thing  in  him." 

"  Yes,  I  wish  I  could  afford  to  give  him  an  over- 
coat. He  needs  one,  but  I  suppose  seventeen  dollars 
will  come  rather  hard  on  him  to  pay.  K  it  was 
Luke  Harrison,  it  wouldn't  trouble  him  much." 

"  You  mean  he  would  get  it  on  tick." 

"  Yes,  if  he  found  anybody  fool  enough  to  trust 
him.     I've   done  it  as  long  as  I'm   sroins;   to.     He 


132  BOUND  TO  rise;  on, 

won't  get  a  dollar  more  credit  out  of  me  till  he  pays 
Ms  bill." 

"  You're  perfectly  right,  there." 

"  So  I  think.  He  earns  a  good  deal  more  than 
"Walton,  but  spends  what  he  earns  on  billiards, 
drinks,  and  cigars." 

"  There  he  comes,  up  the  stairs,  now." 

In  fact,  Luke  with  his  two  companions  directly 
afters  ard  entered  the  shop. 

"  Merrill,"  said  he,  "  have  you  got  in  any  new 
goods  ?    I  must  have  a  new  pair  of  pants." 

"  Yes,  I've  got  some  new  goods.  There's  a  piece 
open  before  you." 

"It's  a  pretty  tiling,  Merrill,"  said  Luke,  struck 
by  it ;  "  what's  your  price  for  a  pair  o^  of  it  ? " 

'•  Ten  dollars." 

" Isn't  that  rather  steep?  " 

"  No  ;  the  cloth  is  of  superior  quality." 

"  "Well,  darn  the  expense.  I  like  it,  and  must 
have  it.     Just  measure  me,  will  3^ou?" 

"  Are  you  ready  to  pay  the  account  I  have  against 
you?" 

"  How  much  is  it?" 


JTABRY  Walton's  motto.  133 

The  tailor  referred  to  his  books. 

"  Thirty-two  dollars  and  fifty  cents,"  he  answered. 

"  All  right,  IMerrill.  "Wait  till  the  pants  are  done, 
and  I'll  pay  the  whole  at  once." 

But  Merrill  didn't  seem  to  consider  this  satis- 
factory. 

"  That  won't  do,"  he  said,  shaking  his  head. 
"  You  must  pay  this  bill  first." 

"  Aint  my  credit  good?"  blustered  Luke. 

"  You  can  make  it  good,"  said  the  tailor,  sig- 
nificantl3^ 

"  I  didn't  think  you'd  make  such  a  fuss  about  a 
small  bill." 

"  I  didn't  think  you'd  find  it  so  difficult  to  pa}'-  a 
small  bill,"  returned  the  tailor. 

Luke  looked  discomfited.  He  was  silent  a  mo- 
ment, and  then  changed  his  tactics. 

"  Come,  Merrill,"  he  said,  persuasively,  "  don't  be 
alarmed.  I'm  good  for  it,  I  guess,  I  haven't  got 
the  money  convenient  to-da^^  The  fact  is,  I  lent 
fifty  dollars  to  a  friend  for  a  short  time.  I  shall 
have  it  back  next  week,  and  then  I  will  pay  you.'l 


134  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  it,"  said  Merrill. 

"  So  just  measure  me,  and  hurry  up  the  pants.  I 
want  them  to  wear  next  Sunda}'." 

"  I  am  sorrj',  but  I  can't  do  it  till  you  settle  the 
old  bill." 

"  Look  here,  has  "Walton  been  talking  against 
me?"  demanded  Luke,  angrily,  and  disappointed. 

"  No  ;  what  makes  j^ou  think  so?" 

"  He  just  went  out." 

"What  if  he  did?" 

"  He  don't  like  me,  because  I  twitted  him  with  his 
meanness." 

"  I  don't  consider  him  mean." 

"Has  he  ever  bought  anything  of  3-ou?  " 

"  No." 

"I  knew  it.  He  prefers  to  go  ragged  and  save 
his  money." 

"  He's  too  honorable  to  run  up  a  bill  without  pay- 
ing it." 

"  Do  you  mean  me?  "  demanded  Luke,  angril3^ 

"  I  hope  not.  I  presume  3'ou  intend  to  pay  jonr 
biUs." 


ffAURT  Walton's  motto.  135 

Luke  Harrison  turned  on  his  heel,  and  left  the 
shop.  He  saw  that  he-  had  exhausted  his  credit  with 
Merrill.  As  to  paying  the  bill,  there  was  not  much 
chance  of  that  at  present,  as  he  had  but  a  dollar  and 
a  half  in  his  pocket,  and  no  money  due  for  work. 


136  BOUND  TO  rise;  on, 


CHAPTER    XV. 


A  WELCOME   GIFT. 


"  There's  a  model  for  you,"  said  the  tailor  to 
Maurice  Tudor,  who  remained  behind.  "  He  won't 
pay  his  bills  till  he's  obliged  to." 

"How  did  you  come  to  trust  him  in  the  first 
place?" 

"  I  didn't  know  him  then  as  well  as  I  do  now.  I 
make  it  a  practice  to  accommodate  my  customers  b}^ 
trusting  them  for  a  month  or  two,  if  they  want  it. 
It  isn't  alwaj's  easy  to  paj'  read}-  moue3\  But  Luke 
Harrison  isn't  one  to  be  trusted." 

"  I  should  say  not." 

"  If  young  "Walton  wants  to  get  an  overcoat  on 
credit,  1  shan't  object.  I  judge  something  by  looks, 
and  I  am  sure  he  is  honest." 

"Well,  good-night,  Mr.  Merrill.  You'll  have  mj 
coat  done  soon?" 


HARRY  WALTOK's  MOTTO.  137 

"  Yes,  Mr.  Tudor.  It  shall  be  ready  for  you  to- 
morrow." 

Maurice  Tudor  left  the  tailor's  shop,  revolving  a 
new  idea  which  had  just  entered  his  mind.  He  had 
watched  Harry's  face  while  he  was  talking  with  the 
tailor,  and  he  was  led  to  conclude  that,  though  ho 
needed  an  overcoat,  the  purchase  would  be  a  heavy 
draft  upon  his  means.  Now  he  rememlDered  that  he 
had  at  his  home  in  the  city  an  excellent  overcoat 
which  he  had  worn  the  previous  winter,  but  which 
was  now  too  small  for  him.  He  had  no  3-ounger 
brother  to  wear  it,  nor  in  his  circumstances  was  such 
economy  necessary.  As  well  as  he  could  judge  by 
observing  Harry's  figure,  it  would  be  an  excellent  fit 
for  him.  Why  should  he  not  give  it  to  him?  He 
felt  a  little  delicate  about  ofiering  it,  but  judged 
that  Hany  would  be  sensible  enough  to  accept  it. 
At  any  rate,  he  determined,  if  he  met  him  again 
that  evening,  to  propose  it. 

The  opportunity  came.  On  his  way  home  he 
overtook  our  hero,  walking  slowty,  plunged  in 
thought.  In  fact,  he  was  still  occupied  with  the 
problem  of  the  needed  overcoat. 


138  BOUND  TO  nisE;  on, 

"  Good-evening,  Harry,"  said  3'onng  Tudor. 

"  Good-evening,  Mr.  Tudor,"  answered  Ilarr}-,  who 
did  not  feel  quite  intimate  enough  to  address  his 
companion  by  his  first  name.  "  Are  ^'ou  going  back 
to  the  city  soon  ?  " 

"  In  the  course  of  a  week  or  two.  ]\Ir.  Leavitt's 
son  is  in  a  store  in  Boston,  is  he  not?" 

"Yes.     I  have  taken  his  place  in  the  shop." 

"  So  I  hear.  How  do  you  IDve  3'our  new  busi- 
ness ?  " 

"  Very  well.  I  think  I  should  like  better  to  be  in 
a  printing-office,  but  I  am  glad  to  get  a  chance  in  a 
shoe-shop.  I  feel  more  independent,  earning  my 
own  living." 

"  I  have  not  had  to  do  that  yet,  but  I  expect  to 
enter  my  father's  office  when  I  return  to  the  city. 
He  is  an  importer.  Hy  the  wa}-,  I  saw  j'ou  in  at 
Merrill's  this  evening." 

"  Yes  ;  I  was  pricing  an  overcoat." 

"  I  bought  this  one  in  Boston  just  before  I  eauie 
away.  I  have  a  ver^^  good  one  left  from  last  winter, 
but  it  is  too  small  for  me.     It  is  of  no  use  to  me. 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  139 

If  I  thought  you  would  accept  it,  I  would  offer  it  to 
you." 

Harry's  heart  gave  a  joj^ful  bound.  Here  was  his 
great  need  supplied,  and  without  expense. 

"Accept  it!"  he  repeated.  "Indeed  I  will,  and 
thank  jo\x  for  yonv  great  kindness." 

"  Then  I  will  write  home  at  once  to  have  it  sent  to 
me.  I  also  have  a  suit  which  I  have  outgrown ;  if 
you  wouldn't  be  too  proud  to  take  it." 

"  I  am  not  so  foolish,"  said  Harry.  "  It  will  be  a 
great  favor  to  me." 

"  I  thought  you  would  take  it  right,"  said  Maurice, 
well  pleased  at  the  way  in  which  his  offer  was  met. 
"  I  will  also  send  for  the  suit.  I  will  get  my  mother 
to  direct  them  to  3'ou,  and  forward  them  by  express." 

"  They  will  be  as  good  as  money  to  me,"  said 
Harry;  "and  that,"  he  continued,  smiling,  "is  not 
very  plenty  Avith  me." 

"  If  3^ou  have  no  objection,  will  you  tell  me  some- 
thing of  your  circumstances  ?  Perhaps  I  may  some- 
time have  it  in  my  power  to  help  you." 

Maurice  Tudor  had  one  of  those  sj^mpathetic 
natures  which  attract  confideiice,  and  Harry,  assured 


140  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

of  his  friendly  interest,  did  not  hesitate  to  give  him 
a  full  account  of  his  plans  in  life,  and  especially  of 
his  desire  to  relieve  his  father  of  the  burden  of 
poverty  that  weighed  upon  him.  His  plain,  straight- 
forward narrative  made  a  very  favorable  impression 
upon  Maurice,  who  conld  not  help  reflecting,  "  How 
far  superior  this  boy  is  to  Luke  Harrison,  and  his 
tribe !  I  am  sure  he  will  succeed,  if  he  has  a  fair 
chance." 

"  Thank  you  for  telling  me  all  this,"  he  said.  "  It 
was  not  from  mere  curiosity  that  I  asked,  but  from  a 
friendly  interest  in  you." 

"I  am  siu-e  of  that,"  said  PlarrjT^,  grasping  his 
hand,  and  speaking  warmly.  "  Thanks  to  your 
generosity,  I  shall  present  a  much  more  respectable 
appearance,  besides  being  made  more  comfortable." 

Three  days  later  a  large  bundle,  wrapped  in  brown 
paper,  was  brought  by  the  village  expressman  to  JMi*. 
Leavitt's  door. 

"  A  bundle  -for  you,  Walton,"  said  the  express- 
man, seeing  Harry  in  the  j^ard. 

Harry  ran  forward  and  received  it. 

"  What  is  there  to  pay  ? "  he  asked 


jiARRT  Walton's  motto.  141 

"  Nothing,"  was  the  answer.  "  It  was  prepaid  in 
the  city." 

Harry  took  it  up  to  Ms  room,  and  opened  it 
eagerly.  First  came  the  promised  overcoat.  It 
was  of  very  handsome  French  cloth,  with  a  velvet 
collar,  and  rich  silk  facings,  far  higher  in  cost  than 
any  Mr.  Merrill  would  have  made  for  him. 

"Would  it  fit?  That  was  a  question  he  tested 
immediately,  by  trying  it  on.  The  result  was  most 
satisfactory.  It  fitted  as  if  it  had  been  made  for 
him.  Next  came,  not  one,  but  two  complete  suits, 
embracing  coat,  vest  and  pants.  One  of  pepper- 
and-salt  cloth,  the  other  a  dark  blue.  These,  also, 
so  similar  was  he  in  figure  to  Mamice,  fitted  him 
equally  well.  Our  hero  was  not  particularly  vain, 
but  I  am  bound  to  say,  that  when  he  saw  his  figure 
reflected  in  the  glass,  when  attired  in  the  latter  suit, 
he  did  feel  a  considerable  degree  of  complacence. 
The  clothes  which  he  brought  with  him  from  Gran- 
ton  were  made  by  an  up-country  tailor,  and  were  not 
only  of  coarse  material,  but  were  far  from  stj'lish  in 
cut,  whereas  these  garments   had  been  made  by  a 


142  BOUND  TO  rise;  on, 

fashionable  Boston  tailor,  and  set  off  his  figure  to 
much  greater  advantage. 

"I  wonder  what  Luke  Harrison  will  say?"  said 
our  hero  to  himself,  smiling,  as  he  thought  of  tlie 
surprise  of  Luke  at  witnessing  his  transformation. 

"  I've  a  great  mind  to  keep  these  on  to-night,"  he 
said  to  himself.  "  Perhaps  I  shall  meet  Luke.  He 
won't  have  anything  more  to  say  about  my  going 
without  an  overcoat." 

After  supper  Harrj-,  arraj'cd  in  his  best  suit,  and 
wearing  the  overcoat,  walked  down  to  the  centre  of 
the  village,  where  he  felt  pretty  sure  of  meeting 
Luke. 

In  fact,  Luke  was  standing  on  the  jDiazza  of  the 
tavern,  smoking  a  cigar  as  he  came  up. 

"  Luke,  see  how  Walton  is  dressed  up ! "  ex- 
claimed Frank  Heath,  who  was  the  first  to  catch 
sight  of  om-  hero. 

"Dressed  up!"  repeated  Luke,  who  was  rather 
short-sighted.     "  That  would  be  a  good  joke." 

"  He's  got  a  splendid  overcoat,"  continued  Frank. 

"  Where'd  he  get  it  ?  Merrill  hasn't  been  making 
him  one." 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  143 

"  It's  none  of  Merrill's  work.  It's  too  stylish  for 
him." 

By  this  time  Harry  had  come  within  Luke's  range 
of  vision.  The  latter  surveyed  him  with  astonishment, 
and,  it  must  be  confessed,  with  disappointment ;  for 
he  had  been  fond  of  sneering  at  Harry's  clothes,  and 
now  the  latter  was  far  better  dressed  than  himself. 

"Where  did  jon  get  that  coat,  Walton?"  asked 
Luke,  the  instant  Harr^'  came  up. 

"  Honestl}^,"  said  Harry,  shortly. 

"  Merrill  didn't  make  it  ?  " 

"No." 

"  Where  was  it  made  ?  " 

"  In  Boston." 

"Do  you  have  your  clothes  made  there?"  asked 
Luke,  surprised. 

"  Never  before." 

"Have  you  got  anything  else  new?" 

Harry  opened  his  coat,  and  displayed  the  suit 
underneath. 

"  Well,  you  are  coming  out,  Walton,  that's  a  fact," 
said  Frank  Heath.  "  That's  a  splendid  suit.  Fits 
you  lil^e  a  glove." 


144  BOUND  TO  rise;  on, 

Harry  smiled  to  himself. 

"  I  thought  3-0U  couldn't  afford  to  buy  a  coat," 

said  Luke. 

"  You  see  I've  got  one,"  answered  Harry. 

"  How  much  did  it  cost? " 

"  That's  a  secret." 

Here  he  left  Luke  and  Frank,  and  stepped  into  the 
post-ofQce. 

"Well,  Luke,  what  do  you  say  to  that?"  said 
Frank  Heath. 

Luke  said  nothing.  He  was  astonished  and  un- 
happy. He  had  a  fondness  for  dress,  and  spent  a 
good  share  of  his  earnings  upon  it,  paying  where  he 
must,  and  getting  credit  besides  where  he  could. 
But  he  had  never  had  so  stj^lish  a  suit  as  this,  and  it 
depressed  him.  And  still  the  question  troubled  him, 
"  Where  could  Harry  have  raised  money  enough  to 
buy  such  a  tip-top  rig-out  ?  " 


SAURY  Walton's  motto.  145 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

Luke's  financial  perplexities. 

Theke  was  one  other  tailor  in  the  village,  James 
Haj^den,  and  to  him  Luke  Harrison  determined  to 
transfer  his  custom,  hoping  to  be  allowed  to  run  up 
a  bill  with  him.  He  did  not  like  his  stjde  of  cut  as 
well  as  Merrill's,  but  from  the  latter  he  was  cut  off 
unless  he  would  pay  the  old  bill,  and  this  would  be 
inconvenient.  True,  he  was  earning  from  twelve  to 
fifteen  dollars  per  week,  and  of  this  sum  was  obliged 
to  pay  onl}'  four  dollars  for  board,  so  that  in  a  month 
he  might  have  easil}''  saved  enough  to  pay  his  bill. 
But  how,  in  case  he  did  this,  could  he  manage  to  buy 
his  cigars,  and  pay  for  his  billiards  and  drinks?  He 
had  no  intention  of  giving  them  up,  even  for  a 
month,  so  he  must  find  some  other  way. 

He  strolled  into  James  Hayden's  shop,  and  asked 
to  look  at  some  cloth  for  pants. 

Hayden  was   a  shrewd  man,  and,  knowing  that 


146  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

Luke  Avus  a  customer  of  his  neighbor,  suspected 
the  reason  of  his  transfer.  However,  he  showed 
the  cloth,  and,  a  selection  having  been  made,  meas- 
ured him,  according  to  his  request. 

'^  "WTien  will  j^ou  have  them  done  ?  "  asked  Luke. 

"  lu  three  da^'s." 

"  I  want  them  by  that  time  sure." 

"We'll  try  to  have  them  ready.  Of  course  you 
pay  cash." 

"  Whj'',"  said  Luke,  hesitating,  "  I  suppose  you 
won't  mind  giving  me  a  month's  credit." 

Mr.  Hay  den  shook  his  head. 

"I  couldn't  do  it,"  he  said.  "My  goods  are 
akeady  paid  for,  and  I  have  to  pay  for  the  work.  I 
must  have  cash." 

"  Merrill  always  trusted  me,"  pleaded  Luke. 

"  Then  why  did  jon  leave  him?"  asked  the  tailor, 
shre^vdly. 

"  Why,"  said  Luke,  a  little  taken  aback,  "  he  didn't 
cut  the  last  clothes  exactly  to  suit  me." 

Mr.  Hayden  saw  that  this  excuse  was  a  false  one. 

"Didn't  suit  you?  I  thought  you  3'oung  people 
preferred  his  cut  to  mine.    I  am  rather  old-fash- 


HAnnr  w'alton's  motto.  147 

ioned,  but  the  older  class  of  people  don't  mind  that. 
On  the  whole,  I  hardly  think  you  will  like  my 
clothes.  Hadn't  you  better  go  back  to  Merrill, 
especially  as  he  will  trust  you?" 

"I've  got  tired  of  him,"  said  Luke.  "I'll  get  a 
pair  of  pants  of  you,  and  see  how  I  like  them.'* 

"  I'll  make  them,  of  course ;  but,  as  I  said  before, 
I  can't  trust." 

"  All  right.  I'll  bring  the  money,"  said  Luke,  who 
yet  thought  that  he  might  get  off  hj  paying  part 
down  when  he  took  the  pants. 

"  The  old  fellow's  deuced  disobliging,"  said  he  to 
Frank  Heath,  when  they  got  into  the  street. 

"I  don't  know  as  I  blame  him,"  said  Frank. 
"  He  don't  want  to  wait  for  his  money,  any  more 
than  jon  would  like  to  wait  for  3^our  wages." 

"  I  wish  Merrill  wasn't  so  stiff  about  it.  He's 
terribly  afraid  of  losing  his  bill." 

"That's  where  he's  right,"  said  Frank,  laughing. 
"  I'd  be  the  same  if  I  were  in  his  place.  It  don't 
pay  to  carry  on  business  without  collecting  the  pay 
for  what  you  sell." 


148  BOUND  TO  rise;  on, 

"Do  you  always  pay  your  bills  right  off?"  said 
Luke,  with  a  sneer. 

"  Yes,  I  do.  I  don't  pretend  to  be  a  model  boy. 
I'm  afraid  I  keep  bad  company,"  he  continued,  with 
a  meaning  glance  at  his  companion ;  "  but  I  don't 
owe  a  cent  to  anybody  except  for  board,  and  that  I 
pay  up  at  the  end  of  every  week," 

Luke  dropped  the  subject,  not  finding  it  to  his 
taste. 

On  Saturday  night  he  went  round  to  the  tailor's. 

"  Have  you  got  my  pants  done,  Mr.  HajTlen?"  he 
asked. 

"Yes, — here  they  are." 

Luke  looked  at  them  with  satisfaction,  for  the 
cloth  was  to  his  taste,  and  they  looked  as  if  they 
might  fit. 

"Let  me  see,"  he  said,  "how  much  are  they?" 

"  Nine  dollars/' 

"  I'll  pay  you  three  dollars  to-night,  and  the  rest 
at  the  end  of  next  week,"  he  said. 

"  Very  well ;  then  you  may  have  them  at  the  end 
of  next  week." 

"  Why  not  now?    They  are  done,  aint  they?** 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  149 

"  Yes,"  said  Mr.  Hayden,  shrewdly ;  "  but  not 
paid  for." 

"  Didn't  I  tell  you  I'd  pay  three  dollars  now,  and 
the  rest  in  a  week? " 

"  Our  terms  are  cash  down." 

"You  aint  afraid  of  me,  are  you?"  blustered 
Luke,  not  a  little  disappointed. 

"  That's  not  the  point.  You  understood  when  joxx 
ordered  the  pants  that  they  were  to  be  paid  for  when 
they  were  taken." 

"I  hate  to  see  people  so  afraid  of  losing  their 
monej'." 

"  Do  you  ?    Was  that  why  you  left  Merrill  ?  " 

Luke  colored.  He  suspected  that  the  fact  of  his 
unpaid  bill  at  the  other  tailor's  was  known  to  Mr. 
Hayden. 

"  I've  a  great  mind  to  leave  them  on  yoiu*  hands," 
he  said,  sullenly. 

"  I  i^refer  to  keep  them  on  my  hands,  rather  than 
to  let  them  go  out  of  tho  shop  without  being  paid 
for." 

"  Frank,"  said  Luke,  turning  to  his  companion, 
"lend  me  five  dollars,  can't  j^ou?" 


150  BOUND  TO  jiise;  on, 

Frank  Heath  shook  his  head. 

"  I'm  the  wrong  fellow  to  ask,"  said  he  ;  "  I've  got 
to  pay  mj^  board  and  another  bill  to-night,  and  that'll 
take  about  all  I  have." 

"  Oh,  let  your  bills  wait." 

"And  lend  you  the  money?  Thank  you,  I  aint  so 
green.    "When  should  I  get  the  money  again  ?  " 

"  Next  week." 

"  In  a  horn.     No  ;  I  laiow  you  too  well  for  that." 

"What  shall  I  do?  I  want  to  wear  the  pants  to- 
morrow.    I'm  going  out  to  ride." 

"I  don't  see  how  you  can  do  it,  unless  you  fork 
over  the  spondulics." 

"  I  can't.    I  haven't  got  enough  money." 

"  The  only  fellow  I  know  of  that's  got  money  is 
Harry  Walton." 

"  I  don't  believe  he  has  got  any.  He  bought  a  lot 
of  clothes  last  week.     They  must  have  cost  a  pile." 

"  Can't  help  it.  I  saw  him  open  his  pocket-book 
last  night,  and  in  it  was  a  roll  of  bills.  He's  richer 
than  you  think  for." 

"  I  don't  suppose  he  would  lend  me,  but  I  can  ask 
him." 


HABEY  Walton's  motto.  151 

Turning  to  the  tailor,  he  said,  "Just  lay  aside  the 
pants,  and  I'll  come  back  for  them  pretty  soon." 

Mr.  Ilayden  smiled  to  himself. 

"  There's  nothing  like  fetching  up  these  fellows 
with  a  round  turn,"  he  said.  "No  money,  no 
clothes,  —  that's  my  motto.  Merrill  told  me  all 
about  that  little  bill  that  sent  Luke  Harrison  over 
here.  He  don't  run  up  any  bill  with  me,  if  I  know 
myself." 

Luke  ,  went  out  of  the  shop,  and  round  to  the 
village  store.  Harry  "Walton  usually  spent  a  part 
of  every  evening  in  instructive  reading  and  study ; 
but  after  a  hard  day's  work  he  felt  it  to  be  necessary 
to  his  health  to  pass  an  hoxrr  or  so  in  the  open  air,  so 
he  came  down  to  the  centre  of  the  village,  where 
young  fellows  of  his  age  usually  congregated.  He 
was  just  about  to  start  for  home  Avhen  Luke  Harri- 
son and  Frank  Heath  came  up, 

"  Hallo,  "Walton  !  "  said  Luke,  accosting  him  with 
unusual  cordiality.  "  You  are  just  the  fellow  I  want 
to  see." 

"Am  I?"  inquired  Harry,  in  surprise,  for  there 


152  BOUND  TO  jiise;  or, 

was  no  particular  friendship  or  intimacy  between 
him  and  the  speaker. 

"Yes;  I'm  going  to  asli  a  little  favor  of  you  —  a 
mere  trifle." 

"What  is  it?" 

"Lend  me  five  or  ten  dollars  for  a  week.  Five 
will  do,  if  3'ou  can't  spare  more." 

Harry  shook  his  head. 

"  I  can't  do  that,  Luke." 

"  Why  not  ?     Haven't  3'ou  got  as  much  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I've  got  it." 

"Then  why  won't  you  lend  it  to  me?  You  shall 
have  it  back  at  the  end  of  next  week." 

"  I  have  but  a  little  monej',  and  I  can't  run  any 
risk  with  it." 

"Do  you  think  I  won't  pay  j-ou  back?"  said 
Luke,  angrily. 

"Why  do  you  need  to  borrow  of  me?  You  get 
much  higher  wages  than  I  do." 

"  I  want  to  pay  a  bill  to-night.  I  didn't  think 
you'd  be  so  unaccommodating." 

"  I  shouldn't  be  willing  to  lend  to  any  one,"  said 


HAURY  Walton's  motto.  153 

Harry.  "  The  money  isn't  mine.  I  am  going  to 
send  it  home." 

"  A  great  sight  you  are ! "  sneered  Luke,  who 
began  to  see  that  his  prospect  of  wearing  his  new 
clothes  the  next  day  was  rather  small. 

"  Probably  you  have  other  friends  who  will  lend 
you,"  said  Harry,  not  caring  to  get  into  a  fuss,  but 
firmly  resolved  not  to  be  drawn  into  lending  money 
to  one  whose  credit  was  so  poor  as  Luke  Harrison's. 

"It's  likely  I  can.  I  wanted  to  see  just  how 
mean  you  were,"  returned  Luke.  "You've  got  the 
money  in  joxxv  pocket,  but  you  won't  lend  it." 

This  taunt  did  not  particularly  disturb  Harry,  for 
he  set  no  particular  value  upon  Luke  Harrison's 
opinion,  and  would  have  considered  it  very  dearly 
bought  at  the  price  of  ten  dollars.  There  is  a  large 
class  like  Lulve,  who  are  offended  at  being  refused  a 
loan,  though  quite  aware  that  they  are  never  likely 
to  repay  it.  My  young  readers  will  be  sure,  if  they 
live  long  enough,  to  meet  specimens  of  this  class, 
against  whom  the  only  protection  is,  a  very  firm  and 
decided  "  No." 


154  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 


CHAPTER    XVII. 


THE   EVENING   SCHOOL. 


Imiviediatelt  after  Thanksgiving  Day,  the  winter 
schools  commenced.  That  in  the  centre  district  was 
kept  by  a  student  of  Dartmouth  College,  who  had 
leave  of  absence  from  the  college  authorities  for 
twelve  weeks,  in  order  by  teaching  to  earn  something 
to  help  defray  his  college  expenses.  Leonard  Mor- 
gan, now  a  junior,  was  a  tall,  strongly-made  young 
man  of  twenty-two,  whose  stalwart  frame  had  not 
been  reduced  by  his  diligent  study.  He  was  beyond 
the  average  age  of  his  classmates,  and  of  excellent 
scholarship  and  ability ;  but  his  means  were  limited, 
and  he  was  glad  to  eke  them  out  by  the  moderate 
wages  of  a  country  school-teacher. 

He  had  scarcelj^  commenced  his  school  when  a 
happy  idea  struck  him.  There  were  several  shoe- 
shops  in  the  village,  each  employing  from  one  to 
tliree  bo3^s,  varying  in  age  from  fifteen  to  nineteen. 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  155 

Why  could  lie  not  form  a  private  class,  to  meet  in 
the  evening,  say  for  an  hour  and  a  half  or  two 
hours,  to  be  instructed  in  advanced  arithmetic,  or, 
if  desired,  in  Latin  and  Greek.  He  broached  the 
idea  to  Stephen  Bates,  the  Prudential  Committee- 
man, who,  by  election,  had  charge  of  school  affairs 
in  the  district. 

"I  don't  know,"  said  Mr.  Bates,  "what  our  boys 
will  think  of  it.  I've  got  a  boy  that  I'll  send,  but 
whether  j^ou'll  get  enough  to  make  it  pay  I  don't 
know." 

"I  suppose  I  can  have  the  school-house,  Mr. 
Bates?" 

"  Yes,  there  won't  be  no  objection  to  that.  How 
much  was  you  calculatin'  to  charge  ?  " 

"  I'll  begin  if  I  can  get  eight  names,"  said  the 
young  man. 

"Won't  it  be  too  much  for  you  after  teachin'  in 
the  day-time  ?  " 

"  It  would  take  a  good  deal  to  break  me  down," 
said  Leonard,  smiling. 

"  Then  you'd  better  draw  up  a  notice  and  put  it  up 


156  BOUND    TO  rise;    OS, 

in  the  store  and  the  tavern,"  suggested  the  commit- 
tee-man. 

In  accordance  with  this  advice,  the  young  teacher 
posted  up  in  the  two  places  the  following  notice  :  — 

"Evening  ScnooL. 
"  I  propose  to  start  an  Evening  School  for  those 
who  are  occupied  during  the  day,  and  unable  to 
attend  the  district  school.  Instruction  will  be  given 
in  such  English  branches  as  may  be  desired,  and  also 
in  Latin  or  Greek,  if  any  are  desirous  of  pursuing  a 
classical  course.  The  school  will  commence  next 
Monday  evening  at  the  school-house,  beginning  at 
seven  o'clock.  Terms  seventy  cents  a  week,  or  five 
dollars  for  the  term  of  ten  weeks. 

"  Leonard  Morgan." 

Among  those  who  read  this  notice  with  interest 
was  Harry  "Walton.  He  had  not  forgotten  his  motto, 
"Live  and  Learn,"  and  here  seemed  to  be  a  good 
opportunity  of  putting  it  into  practice. 

"Are  you  going  to  join  the  class,  "Walton?" 
asked  Frank  Heath. 

"  Yes,"  said  Harry,  promptly. 


HARRY  WALTON^ S   MOTTO.  157 

"Where'll  you  get  the  money?"  asked  Luke 
Harrison,  in  a  jeering  tone. 

"I  sha'n't  have  to  go  far  for  it,"  answered  Harry, 
quietly. 

"  I  don't  sec  how  you  can  make  up  your  mind  to 
spend  so  much  money,"  continued  Luke,  in  the  same 
unpleasant  tone. 

"  I  am  willing  to  spend  money  when  I  can  get  my 
money's  worth,"  said  our  hero.     "Are  you  going?" 

"To  school?  No,  I  guess  not.  I've  got  through 
my  schooling." 

"  You  don't  know  enough  to  hurt  you,  do  you, 
Luke?"  inquired  Frank  Heath,  slyly. 

"  Nor  I  don't  want  to.  I  know  enough  to  get 
along,  I  guess." 

"  I  don't  know  enough  jQi,  and  never  expect  to," 
said  Harr}'. 

"  Do  you  mean  to  go  to  school  when  you're  a  gray- 
headed  old  veteran?"  asked  Frank,  jocosely. 

"  I  may  not  go  to  school,  then,  but  I  sha'n't  give 
up  learning  then,"  said  Harry,  smiling.  "  One  can 
learn  without  going  to  school.  But  while  I'm  young, 
I  mean  to  go  to  school  as  much  as  I  can." 


158  BOUND    TO  JUSE;    OB, 

"  I  guess  you're  right,"  said  Frank  ;  "  I'd  go  my- 
self, only  I  am  too  lazy.  It's  hard  on  a  feller  to 
worry  his  brain  with  study  after  he's  been  at  work 
all  day.  I  don't  believe  I  was  cut  out  for  a  great 
scholar." 

"  I  don't  believe  you  were,  Frank,"  said  Joe 
Bates.  "  You  always  used  to  stand  pretty  well 
down  toward  the  foot  of  the  class  when  you  went  to 
school." 

"A  feller  can't  be  smart  as  well  as  handsome," 
said  Frank,  good-humoredly.  "As  long  as  I'm 
good-looking,  I  won't  complain  because  I  wasn't 
born  with  the  genius  of  a  Bates." 

There  was  a  laugh  at  this,  and  Joe  replied, 
"  Thank  you  for  the  compliment,  Frank,  —  though 
I  suppose  it  means  that  I  am  homely.  I  haven't  got 
any  genius  or  education  to  spare." 

"  Are  3^ou  going  to  join  the  class?" 

"Yes." 

"  You  and  Walton  make  two." 

"I  guess  there'll  be  others.  Amanda  Brimmer 
will  go,  if  there  are  any  other  girls  to  keep  her 
company." 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  159 

"Do  you  hear  that,  Luke?"  said  Frank. 
"  There'll  be  some  girls  in  the  class.  I've  a  great 
mind  to  go." 

"You  can  try  it  a  week,  and  see  how  you  will 
like  it,"  suggested  Joe  Bates. 

"  I  believe  I  will  —  that  is,  if  the  girls  go.  What 
do  you  say,  Luke?" 

"  Can't  I  go  in  as  spectator  ?  "  ^ 

"No,  I  guess  not." 

"  I'll  come  when  it's  over  and  walk  home  with  the 
girls." 

"  If  they  are  willing." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  they  wouldn't  be  willing?" 

"  I  don't  know.     You  can  try." 

When  Monday  evening  arrived  ten  pupils  pre- 
sented themselves,  of  whom  six  were  boys,  or  j^oung 
men,  and  four  were  girls.  Leonard  Morgan  felt 
encouraged.  A  class  of  ten,  though  paying  but  five 
dollars  each,  would  give  him  fifty  dollars,  which, 
added  to  the  pay  he  received  for  his  services  during 
the  day,  would  be  quite  an  acceptable  addition  to  his 
scanty  means. 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  so  many,"  he  said.     "  I  think 


160  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

our  evening  class  will  be  a  success.  I  will  go  among 
you,  take  yoxir  names,  and  ascertain  what  studies  you 
wish  to  pursue." 

When  he  came  to  Harry,  he  asked,  "  What  do  you 
propose  to  study  ?  " 

"I  should  like  to  take  up  Algebra  and  Latin,  if 
you  are  willing,"  answered  our  hero. 

"Have  yeu  studied  either  at  all?"  inquired  the 
young  teacher. 

"  No,  sir  ;  I  have  not  had  an  opportunit}''." 

"  How  far  have  you  been  in  arithmetic? " 

"  Through  the  square  and  cube  root." 

"  Do  you  think  you  understand  those  ?  " 

"I  believe  so.  If  you  will  give  me  an  example  I 
will  try." 

"  If  3'ou  have  been  so  far,  you  will  have  no  diffi- 
culty with  algebra.  As  to  Latin,  one  of  the  girls 
wishes  to  take  up  that,  and  I  will  put  j'ou  in  the 
class  with  her.     Have  you  any  book  ?  " 

" No,  sir.     Where  can  I  get  one?" 

"  I  will  send  for  one  for  3^ou,  and  also  an  algebra." 

"  Thank  you." 

It  will  be  seen  that  Harry  was  growing  ambitious. 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  161 

lie  felt  at  home  in  the  ordinary  English  branches, 
and  wanted  now  to  take  up  something  more  ad- 
vanced. He  didn't  expect  to  go  to  college,  though 
nothing  would  have  pleased  him  better ;  but  he  felt 
that  some  knowledge  of  a  foreign  language  could  do 
him  no  harm.  He  didn't  quite  believe  in  Pope's 
line,  "  A  little  learning  is  a  dangerous  thing."  He 
was  convinced  that  a  little  was  far  better  than  none 
at  all.  Franklin,  whom  he  had  taken  as  his  great 
exemplar,  didn't  go  to  college ;  yet  he  made  him- 
self one  of  the  foremost  scientific  men  of  the  age, 
and  acquired  endming  reputation,  not  only  as  a 
statesman  and  a  patriot,  but  chiefly  as  a  philoso- 
pher. 

A  little  later,  Leonard  Morgan  came  round  to  the 
desk  at  which  Harry  was  sitting. 

"I  brought  a  Latin  grammar  with  me,"  he  said, 
"  thinking  it  probable  some  one  might  like  to  begin 
that  language.    You  can  use  it  until  yours  comes." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Harry  ;  and  he  eagerly  took  the 
book,  and  asked  to  have  a  lesson  set,  which  was 
done. 

"  I  can  get  more  than  that,"  he  said. 


162  BOUND  TO  rise;  on, 

"  How  much  more  ? " 

"  Twice  as  much." 

"  If  that  is  the  case,  I  will  let  jou  be  in  a  class  by 
yourself." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Harry.  "  I  should  like  com- 
pan}^ ;  but  I  want  to  get  on  fast." 

Still  later  he  recited  the  double  lesson,  and  so 
correctly  that  the  teacher's  attention  was  drawn  to 
hira. 

"  That's  a  smart  boy,"  he  said  to  himself.  "  I 
mean  to  take  pains  with  him.  Wliat  a  pity  he  can't 
go  to  college ! " 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  163 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 


HARRYS    MISFORTUNE. 


Harry  learned  rapicll3\  At  the  end  of  four  weeks 
he  had  completed  the  Latin  grammar,  or  that  part  of 
it  which  his  teacher  thought  necessary"  for  a  beginner 
to  be  familiar  with,  and  commenced  translating  the 
easy  sentences  in  Andrews'  Latin  Reader.  Now  he 
found  his  work  more  interesting,  and  began  to  see 
the  practical  advantage  of  the  grammatical  forms 
/which  he  had  acquired.  He  didn't  confine  his  study- 
ing to  the  two  hours  that  he  passed  in  school,  but 
devoted  his  spare  minutes  during  the  day  to  prepar- 
ing himself  for  recitation. 

"You  are  getting  on  famously,  Harry,"  said  his 
teacher.  "  I  never  had  a  scholar  who  advanced  so 
rapidly  before." 

Harry  brightened  up. 

"  It  is  because  I  like  it,"  he  said.  "  I  wish  I  knew 
as  much  as  3'ou." 


164  BOUND  TO  rise;  OS, 

The  young  man  smiled. 

"  Don't  give  me  too  much  credit  for  knowledge," 
he  said.  "  When  I  compare  myself  with  our  pro- 
fessors, I,  too,  feel  dissatisfied." 

"But  3'ou  know  so  much  more  than  I  do,"  said 
Hany. 

"  I  ought  to  ;  I  am  seven  years  older.  The  same 
road  is  open  to  you  which  I  have  traversed  before 
you." 

"What  profession  are  you  going  to  study,  Mr. 
Morgan?" 

"  I  intend  to  study  law." 

"  I  should  like  to  be  an  editor,"  said  Hany  ;  "  but 
I  don't  see  much  prospect  of  it." 

"Why  not?" 

"  An  editor  must  know  a  good  deal." 

"There  are  some  who  don't,"  said  Leonard 
Morgan,  with  a  smile.  "  However,  j'ou  would  like 
to  do  credit  to  the  profession,  and  it  is  certainly  in 
these  modern  days  a  very  important  ^irofession. 
There  is  nothing  to  prevent  your  becoming  an  editor 
spme  day,  if  you  strongly  desire  it.  The  sooner  ^-oa 
begin  to  prepare  yourself  for  it  the  better." 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  165 

"  How  can  I  prepare  myself?  " 

"  To  begin  with,  by  doing  jonx  best  to  acquire  a 
good  education ;  not  only  by  studying  lessons,  but 
by  reading  as  extensively  as  you  are  able.  An 
editor  should  be  a  man  of  large  information.  Have 
you  ever  practised  writing  compositions  ? " 

"A  little;  not  much." 

"  If  you  get  time  to  write  anything,  and  will  sub- 
mit it  to  me,  I  will  point  out  such  faults  as  I  may 
notice." 

"  I  should  like  to  do  that,"  said  Harry,  promptly. 
"  What  subject  shall  I  take?  " 

"  You  may  choose  your  own  subject.  Don't  be 
too  ambitious,  but  select  something  upon  which  you 
have  some  ideas  of  yom-  own." 

"  Suppose  I  take  my  motto?  " 

"What  is  that?" 

"  '  Live  and  Learn.' " 

"Do  so,  by  all  means.  That  is  a  subject  upon 
Avhich  you  may  fairly  be  said  to  have  some  ideas  of 
your  own." 

In  due  time  Harry  presented  a  composition  on  this 
subject.     I   do   not  propose   to   place   it  on  record 


166  BOUND    TO   rise;    07?, 

here.  The  thoughts  were  good,  but,  as  might  be 
expected,  the  expression  was  somewhat  crude,  and 
of  course  the  teacher  found  errors  to  correct,  and 
suggestions  to  make  of  a  critical  character.  These 
Harry  eagerly  welcomed,  and  voluntarily  proposed  to 
rewrite  the  composition,  with  special  reference  to  the 
emendations  suggested.  The  result  was  a  very  much 
improved  draft,  with  which  he  felt  better  satisfied. 
Pie  sent  a  copy  home,  and  received  in  reply  a  letter 
from  his  father,  expressing  surprise  and  gratification 
at  the  excellence  of  his  essay. 

"I  am  glad,  Harr}-,"  the  letter  concluded,  "that 
you  have,  so  early  in  life,  formed  just  views  of  the 
importance  of  learning.  I  have  never  ceased  to 
regret  that  my  own  opportunities  for  education  were 
so  limited,  and  that  my  time  has  been  so  much 
absorbed  b}^  the  eSbrt  to  make  a  living,  that  I  have 
been  able  to  do  so  little  since  I  arrived  at  manhood 
toward  supplying  my  deficiencies.  I  hope  and  think 
you  will  be  more  favorably  situated,  and  will  be  able 
to  attain  a  liigher  position  in  life  than  your  father. 
Even  in  a  pecuniary  way  an  education  will  open  to 
you  a  more  prosperous  career,  and  lead,  I  hope,  to 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  167 

competence,  instead  of  the  narrow  poverty  which 
has  been  my  lot.  I  will  not  complain  of  my  own 
want  of  success,  if  I  can  see  my  children  prosper." 

It  will,  be  seen  from  this  letter  that  Harry's  father 
was  a  man  of  good  ideas,  and  had  made  the  most  of 
the  limited  advantages  which  he  had  enjoyed.  But 
since  his  boyhood,  schools  had  been  steadily  ad- 
vancing to  a  higher  standard,  and  the  new  genera- 
tion of  scholars  fared  much  better  than  their  fathers 
and  mothers. 

This  letter,  as  it  may  be  supposed,  stimulated 
Harry  to  fresh  efforts.  He  felt  desirous  of  carrying 
out  his  father's  wishes,  but  he  had,  in  addition,  a 
genuine  thirst  for  learning,  which  made  him  well 
content  to  devote  to  study  the  time  which  other  boys 
of  his  age  spent  in  recreation  and  amusement. 

But  while  intent  upon  cultivating  his  mind,  Harry 
had  not  lost  sight  of  the  great  object  which  had 
sent  him  from  home  to  seek  employment  among 
strangers.  He  had  undertaken  to  meet  the  note 
which  his  father  had  given  Squire  Green  in  pa}'- 
ment  for  the  cow,  and  ho  felt  confident  that  he  could 
do  it,  if  his  health  and   business   continued   good. 


1G8  BOUND  TO  nisE;  or, 

He  had  more  than  once  written  to  his  father  that  he 
need  feel  no  anxiety,  as  he  would  be  able  to  furnish 
him  with  the  money  in  time.  By  the  first  of  Decem- 
ber he  had  saved  up  thirty-three  dollars  toward  this 
object.  By  the  middle  of  January  the  note  would 
come  due.  So  he  had  every  reason  to  believe  that 
he  could  carry  out  his  scheme. 

Of  course  he  had  not  saved  so  much  without  the 
strictest  economy,  and  by  denying  himself  pleasures 
which  were  entirely  proper,  but  which  he  did  not  feel 
able  to  pay  for.  For  instance,  he  was  waited  upon 
by  Lulie  Harrison  on  the  first  day  of  December,  and 
asked  to  join  in  a  grand  sleighing  excursion  to  a 
town  ten  miles  distant,  where  it  was  proposed  to 
take  supper,  and,  after  a  social  time,  return  late  in 
the  evening. 

"  I  would  like  to  go,"  said  Harry,  who  was 
strongly  tempted,  for  he  was  by  no  means  averse 
to  pleasure ;  "  but  I  am  afraid  I  cannot.  How 
much  will  it  cost?" 

"  Thi'ee  dollars  apiece.     That  pays  for  the  supper 

too."  N 

Harry  shook  his  head.     It  was  for  him  a  week's 


HARJIY  WALTOlfS    MOTTO.  169 

wages.  K  he  were  not  tr^^ing  to  save  money  for  Ms 
father,  he  might  have  ventm-ed,  just  this  once,  to 
incur  this  expense,  but  he  felt  that  under  present 
circumstances  it  would  not  be  best. 

"  I  can't  go,"  said  Harry. 

"  Oh,  come  along !  "  urged  Luke.  "  Don't  make 
such  a  mope  of  yourself.  You'll  be  sure  to  enjoy 
it." 

"  I  know  I  shoiild ;   but  I  can't  afford  it." 

"I  never  knew  a  feller  that  thought  so  much  of 
money  as  you,"  sneered  Luke. 

"  I  suppose  it  looks  so,"  said  Harry ;  "  but  it  isn't 
true." 

"  Everybody'-  says  you  are  a  miser." 

*'  I  have  good  reasons  for  not  going." 

"  If  you  would  come,  it  would  make  the  expense 
lighter  for  the  rest  of  us,  and  you  would  have  a  jolly 
time  besides." 

"It's  no  use  talldng,  Luke  ;  I  can't  go." 

This  conversation  took  place  as  they  were  walking 
home  from  the  store  in  the  evening.  Harry  pulled 
out  his  handkerchief  suddenly  from  his  pocket,  and 
with  it   came    his    pocket-book,   containing   all  his 


170  •  BOUND  TO  nisE;  or, 

savings.  He  didn't  hear  it  fall ;  but  Luke  did,  and 
the  latter,  moreover,  suspected  what  it  was.  He  did 
not  call  Harry's  attention  to  it,  but,  falling  back, 
said,  "I've  got  to  go  back  to  the  store.  I  forgot 
something.     Good-night ! " 

"  Good-night !  "  said  Harry,  unsuspiciously. 

Luke  stooped  swiftly  while  our  hero's  back  was 
turned,  and  picked  up  the  pocket-book.  He  slipped 
it  into  his  own  pocket,  and,  instead  of  going  back  to 
the  store,  went  to  his  own  room,  locked  the  door,  and 
then  eagerly  pulled  out  the  pocket-book  and  counted 
the  contents. 

"  Thirty-three  dollars ! "  he  said  to  himself,  in 
exultation.  "  What  a  raiser  that  fellov/^  is !  It 
serves  him  right  to  lose  his  money." 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  171 


CHAPTER    XIX. 


TRACKING  THE   MONET. 


Luke  Harbison  had  picked  up  Harry's  pocket- 
book,  and,  though  knowing  it  to  be  his,  concealed 
the  discovery  upon  the  impulse  of  the  moment.  He 
had  no  scruples  about  defrauding  the  tailor  out  of 
the  amount  justly  due  him,  which  was  really  rob- 
bery, though  it  has  a  less  discreditable  name.  But 
he  would  have  been  startled  and  indignant,  if  vulgar 
theft  had  been  imputed  to  him.  Yet  by  Avhat  other 
name  can  we  call  the  concealment  and  use  of  Harr3^'s 
money?  Of  course,  Luke  did  not  choose  to  look 
upon  it  in  that  light. 

"What  I  find  is  mine,"  he  said  to  himself.  "Of 
course  it  is.  Harry  Walton  deserves  to  lose  his 
money." 

It  will  be  seen  that  he  had  already  decided  to  keep 
the  money.     It  looked  so  tempting  to  him,  as  his 


172  BOUND   TO  rise;   ORy 

eyes  rested  on  the  tliick  roll  of  bills  (for,  though 
insignificant  in  amount,  the  bills  were  ones  and 
twos,  and  twenty  in  number),  that  he  could  not 
make  up  his  mind  to  return  it. 

How  should  he  dispose  of  it  ? 

It  has  abead}''  been  said  that  Luke  was  fond  of 
new  clothes.  He  wanted  to  re-establish  his  credit 
with  Merrill,  for  he  was  in  want  of  a  new  coat,  and 
knew  that  it  would  be  useless  to  order  one  unless  he 
had  some  money  to  pay  on  account.  He  decided  to 
use  a  part  of  Harry's  money  for  this  purpose.  It 
would  be  better,  however,  he  thought,  to  wait  a  dsij 
or  two,  as  the  news  of  the  loss  would  undoubtedly 
spread  abroad,  and  his  order  might  excite  suspicion, 
particularly  as  he  had  been  in  Harry's  company  at 
the  time  the  monej^  disappeared.  He  therefore  put 
the  pocket-book  into  his  trunk,  and  carefully  locked 
it.     Then  he  went  to  bed. 

Meanwhile,  Harrj^  reached  Mr.  Leavitt's,  uncon- 
scious of  the  serious  misfortune  which  had  befallen 
him.  He  went  into  the  sitting-room  and  tallied 
awhile  with  Mr.  Leavitt,  and  at  ten  o'clock  took  his 
lamp  and  went  up  to  bed.    Wliile  he  was  undress- 


HAiiRT  Walton's  motto.  173 

ing  he  felt  in  his  pocket  for  his  money,  intending  to 
lock  it  up  in  his  trunk  as  usual.  His  dismay  may  be 
conceived  when  he  could  not  find  it.  He  hurriedly 
searched  his  other  pockets,  but  it  was  not  to  be 
found. 

Poor  Harry  sank  into  a  chair  with  that  sudden 
sinlring  of  the  heart  which  unlooked-for  misfortune 
brings,  and  tried  to  think  where  he  could  have  left 
the  pocket-book,  or  how  he  could  have  left  it.  Pie 
did  not  generally  carr}^  it  round  with  him,  but  that 
evening  he  found  himself  under  the  necessity  of 
buying  a  necktie  at  the  store,  and  so  had  taken  it 
from  his  trunk.  Could  he  have  left  it  on  the 
counter  ?  No ;  he  distinctly  remembered  replacing 
it  in  his  pocket.  What  could  have  become  of  it? 
He  felt  the  need  of  consulting  with  somebody,  and 
with  his  lamp  in  his  hand  went  downstairs  again. 

"  You  haven't  concluded  to  sit  up  all  night,  have 
you?"  asked  Mr.  Leavitt,  surprised  at  his  reappear- 
ance. 

"  Are  you  sick,  Harry  ? "  asked  Mrs.  Leavitt. 
"  You're  looking  dreadful  pale." 


174  BOUND  TO  rise;  on, 

"  I've  lost  ni}''  pocket-book,"  said  Harrj.  "  That 
is,  I  can't  find  it." 

"  How  much  was  there  in  it?  "  asked  his  employer. 

"Thirty-three  dollars,"  answered  Harry,  in  a 
troubled  voice,     "  It  "v^^as  all  the  money  I  had." 

"  "Whew !  that's  a  good  deal  of  money  to  lose.  I 
shouldn't  want  to  lose  so  much  myself.  When  did 
you  have  it  last  ?  " 

Harry  told  his  storj^,  Mr.  Leavitt  listening 
attentively. 

"  You  are  sure  you  didn't  leave  it  at  the  store,  on 
the  counter  ?    I  left  my  wallet  there  one  night." 

"  I  am  certain  I  put  it  in  my  pocket." 

"  You  remember  having  it,  then,  when  you  left  the 
store  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  And  you  came  right  home?" 

"  Yes." 

"Alone?" 

"  No  ;  Luke  Harrison  came  with  me." 

"  Are  you  two  thick  together?  " 

"  Not  at  aU.  He  don't  like  me,  and  I  don't  fancy 
Mm." 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  175 

"  What  was  he  talking  about  ?  " 

"  He  wanted  me  to  join  a  sleighing  party  of  young 
folks." 

"What  did  you  say?" 

"  I  said  I  couldn't  afford  it.  Then  he  charged  me 
with  being  a  miser,  as  he  often  does." 

"  Did  he  come  all  the  way  home  with  you  ?  " 

"  No  ;  he  left  me  at  Deacon  Brewster's.  He  said 
he  must  go  back  to  the  store,  —  that  he  had  forgotten 
something." 

"  There  is  something  queer  about  this,"  said  Mr. 
Leavitt,  shrewdl}^     "  Do  yon  want  imj  advice?" 

"  Yes ;  I  wish  you  would  advise  me,  for  I  don't 
know  what  to  do." 

"  Then  go  to  the  store  at  once.  Ask,  but  without 
attracting  any  attention,  if  Luke  came  back  there 
after  leaving  you.  Then  ask  Mr.  Meade,  the  store- 
keeper, whether  he  noticed  you  put  back  your  pocliet- 
book." 

"  But  I  know  I  did." 

"  Then  it  will  be  well  to  say  nothing  about  it,  at 
least,  publicl3%  If  you  find  that  Luke's  excuse  was 
false,  and  that  he  did  not  go  back,  go  at  once  to  his 


17G  BOUND  TO  J!Ise;  oh, 

boarding-place,  and  ask  him  Avhether  lie  saw  yoii 
drop  the  pocliet-book.  You  might  have  dropped  it, 
and  he  piclied  it  up.  That  will  give  him  a  chance  to 
restore  it." 

"  Suppose  he  sa3's  no?" 

"  Then  we  must  watch  whether  he  seems  flush  of 
money  for  the  next  few  days.  But  there  will  be  time 
for  that  to-morrow." 

This  seemed  to  Harry  good  advice.  He  put  on 
his  hat  and  coat,  and  retraced  his  steps  to  the  store, 
carefully  looking  along  the  road  to  see  if  he  could 
descr}^  anything  of  the  lost  pocl^et-book.  But  of 
course  it  was  not  to  be  seen,  and  he  entered  the  store 
troubled  and  out  of  spirits.  He  looked  around,  and 
saw  two  3'oung  fellows  still  remaining,  though  the 
hour  was  getting  late. 

"  I  thought  3'ou  went  home,  Harr}^,"  said  Frank 
Heath. 

"  You  see  I  am  here  again,"  said  oui-  hero,  evading 
a  reply.     "Is  it  late ? " 

Frank  Heath  took  out  his  ^v^atch,  for  which  he  had 
recently  traded,  and  announced  that  it  was  ten 
o'clock. 


HARRY   WALTON^S  MOTTO.  177 

"  Time  to  shut  up  shop,"  said  Mr.  Meude,  the 
store-keeper.  "  You  boys  will  have  to  adjourn  till 
to-morrow." 

"Where's  Luke  Harrison?"  asked  Frank  Heath. 
"Didn't  he  go  out  with  you?" 

"  Yes ;  but  he  left  me  some  time  ago.  He  came 
back  here,  didn't  he?" 

"  No  ;  he  hasn't  been  here  since." 

"  He  spoke  of  coming,"  said  Harr}-.  "  He  wanted 
me  to  join  that  sleighing  party." 

"  Are  you  going  to  ?  " 

"  I  can't  afford  it,  Frank." 

"  I  suppose  I  ought  not  to  spend  the  monej^,"  said 
Frank  Heath ;  "  but  I'm  alwaj's  in  for  a  good  time. 
I  guess  I'll  have  to  go." 

"  Good-night,  boys,"  said  the  store-keeper,  sig- 
nificantly. 

They  took  the  hint  and  went  out.  Their  way  lay 
in  different  directions,  and  they  parted  company. 

"  Now  I  must  call  on  Luke,"  said  Harry  to  him- 
self. "I  hope  he  found  the  pocket-book.  He 
wouldn't  be  wicked  enough  to  keep  it." 

But  he  was  not  quite  so  sure  of  this  as  he  would 


178  BouxD  TO  niSE;  or^ 

like  to  have  been.  He  felt  almost  sick  as  he 
thought  of  the  possibilit}''  that  he  might  never 
recover  the  monej''  which  he  had  saved  so  gladly, 
though  with  such  painful  economy.  It  represented 
the  entire  cash  earnings  of  eleven  weeks.  I  ask  ray 
young  readers,  who  may  be  disposed  to  think  that  he 
"was  making  a  fuss  about  a  small  matter,  to  consider 
this. 

Luke  Harrison  boarded  with  a  INIr.  Glenham,  a 
carpenter,  and  it  was  at  his  door  that  Harry 
knocked. 

"Is  Luke  Harrison  at  home?"  he  inquired  of 
Mrs.  Glenham,  who  opened  the  door. 

"  At  home  and  abed,  I  reckon,"  she  replied,  look- 
ing surprised  at  his  late  call. 

"  I  would  like  to  see  him,"  said  Harry. 

"Can't  3'ou  wait  till  to-morrow  morning?  I  was 
just  going  to  lock  up  for  the  night." 

"  I  know  it's  late,  Mrs.  Glenham,  but  it  is  about  a 
matter  of  importance  that  I  wish  to  see  Luke." 

"  I  reckon  it's  about  the  sleighing  party,"  said 
Mrs.  Glenham,  looking  as  if  she  did  not  consider 
that  very  important. 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  179 

"No,  it  is  quite  another  thing.  I  won't  stay 
but  a  minute." 

"  Well,  I  suppose  you  can  go  up.  His  room  is  at 
the  head  of  the  stairs." 

Harrj'  went  upstairs  and  knocked.  Ordinarily, 
Luke  would  have  been  asleep,  for  generally  he  sank 
to  sleep  five  minutes  after  his  head  touched  the  pil- 
low ;  but  to-night  the  excitement  of  his  dishonest 
intention  kept  him  awake,  and  he  started  uneasily 
when  he  heard  the  knock  at  his  door. 

"  Who's  there?"  he  called  out  from  the  bed. 

"  It's  I,  — Harry  Walton." 

"  He's  come  about  that  pocket-book,"  thought 
Luke,  not  very  well  pleased.  "  I  shall  pretend  that 
I  don't  know  anything  about  it." 

"  I'm  in  bed,"  he  answered. 

"  I  want  to  see  you  a  minute,  on  a  matter  of 
importance,"  said  Harry. 

"  Come  to-morrow  morning." 

"  I  must  see  you  now." 

"  Oh,  well,  come  in,  if  you  must,"  said  Luke, 
getting  out  of  bed  reluctantly,  and  admitting  his 
unwelcome  visitor. 


180  Bouyo  TO  rise;  on, 


CHAPTER    XX. 


THE   BLOTTED    BILL. 


"You  seem  to  be  in  an  awful  hurry  to  see  me," 
said  Luke,  grumbling.  "  I  was  just  getting  to 
sleep." 

"  I've  lost  m}^  pocket-book,"  said  Harry.  "  Have 
you  seen  it  ?  " 

"Have  I  seen  it?  That's  a  strange  question. 
How  should  I  have  seen  it  ?  " 

"  I  lost  it  on  the  way  from  the  store  to  the  house 
this  evening." 

"Do  3'ou  mean  to  charge  me  with  taking  it?" 
demanded  Luke. 

"  I  haven't  said  anything  of  the  sort,"  said  Harry  ; 
"  but  3'ou  were  with  me,  and  I  thought  you  might 
have  seen  it  drop  out  of  my  pocket." 

"  Did  you  drop  it  out  of  your  pocket?  " 

"  I  can't  think  of  any  other  way  I  could  lose  it.'* 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  181 

"  Of  course  I  haven't  seen  it.  "Was  that  all  you 
woke  me  up  about? " 

"Is  that  all?  You  talk  as  if  it  was  a  little  thing 
losing  thirty-three  dollars." 

"  Thirty -three  dollars  !  "  repeated  Luke,  pretend- 
ing to  be  surprised.  "  You  don't  mean  to  say  j^ou've 
lost  all  that?" 

"  Yes,  I  do." 

"  You'd  better  look  in  the  road,  or  you  might  have 
left  it  in  the  store." 

"  No,  I  didn't.  I  bought  something  there,  but  I 
remember  distinctly  putting  back  my  pocket-book 
before  I  went  out." 

""W"ell,"*said  Luke,  yawning,  "I  wish  I  could 
help  you ;  but  I  can't.     Good-night." 

"  Good-night,"  said  Harry,  turning  awa}-  disap- 
pointed. 

He  went  back  to  his  boarding-place  again,  looking 
carefully  on  both  sides  of  the  road  as  he  walked 
along. 

"What  success,  Harry?"  inquired  Mr.  Leavitt, 
who  had  deferred  going  to  bed  in  order  to  hear  his 
report. 


182  BOUND    TO   RISE  ,'    0R<, 

"None  at  all,"  ansAvered  Hariy,  and  related  his 
interview  with  Luke. 

"  I  hardly  think  he  knows  anything  about  it,"  he 
concluded. 

"  I  don't  feel  sure  about  that.  Is  there  anything 
by  which  j^ou  can  identifj^  any  of  the  bills  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  answered  Harrj-,  with  sudden  recollection. 
"I  dropped  a  pen-full  of  ink  on  one  of  the  bills, - 
a  two-dollar  note, — just  in  the  centre.     I  had  been 
writing  a  letter,  and  the  bill  lay  on  the  table  near 
by." 

"  Good  !  "  said  Mr.  Leavitt.  "  That  may  serve  as 
a  detective.  Now,  supposing  Luke  has  taken  tliis 
mone}^,  how  is  he  likely  to  spend  it?  "      * 

"  At  the  tailor's,  most  likel3^  He  is  alwaj's  talk- 
ing about  new  clothes  ;  but  latel}-  he  hasn't  had  anj^ 
because  Merrill  shut  down  on  him  on  account  of  an 
unpaid  bill." 

"  Then  you  had  better  see  Merrill  privatel}^,  and 
ask  him  to  take  particular  notice  of  any  bills  that 
Luke  paj^s  him." 

"  If  Luke  is  innocent,  I  shall  feel  ashamed  of 
having  suspected  him." 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  183 

"  Innocence  must  often  be  suspected,  or  guilt 
would  never  be  detected.  It  is  the  only  wa^^  to  get 
on  the  track  of  the  missing  bills." 

Harrj'  saw  that  this  was  reasonable,  and  decided 
to  call  on  Merrill  the  next  day.  He  did  so,  and  A?as 
fortunate  in  finding  him  alone.  In  a  few  words  he 
communicated  his  loss,  and  the  fact  that  the  only 
person  with  him  at  the  time  Avas  Luke  Harrison. 

"  Do  3'ou  think  Luke  took  it?"  asked  the  tailor. 

"  I  don't  know  what  to  think.  I  don't  like  to  sus- 
pect him." 

"  I  haven't  much  opinion  of  Luke.  He  owes  me 
a  considerable  bill." 

"  He  prefers  your  clothes  to  Hayden's,  and  if  he 
has  the  money,  he  will  probably  come  here  and  spend 
some  of  it." 

"  Suppose  he  does,  what  do  you  want  me  to  do?" 

"To  examine  the  bills  he  pays  you,  and  if  j'ou 
find  an  ink-spot  on  the  centre  of  one,  let  me  know." 

"  1  understand.     I  think  I  can  manage  it." 

"  My  money  was  mostly  in  ones  and  twos." 

"  That  may  help  you  a  little.     I  will  bear  it  in 


184  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

mind.      Have   jon  j^et    spoken   to  any  one  on  the 
subject  ?  " 

"  Only  to  Mr.  Leavitt.  He  advised  me  to  come  to 
you." 

"  Don't  say  anything  about  it  just  yet.  Above 
all,  don't  mention  the  ink-spot.  It  will  put  Luke  on 
his  guard." 

"  Your  advice  is  good.     I  will  follow  it." 

"  I  hope  you  will  recover  your  monej^." 

"  So  do  I,"  said  Harry,  soberly.  "  It  is  a  very 
great  loss  to  me." 

"  Of  course  it  must  be." 

Two  daj's  afterwards  Lulie  Harrison  met  Harry. 

"Have  you  found  your  money,  Walton?"  he 
asked. 

"  No,  and  I  am  afraid  I  never  shall,"  said  our 
hero,  shaking  his  head. 

"  What  do  3-0U  think  has  become  of  it?  " 

"  That's  just  what  I  would  like  to  find  out,"  said 
Harry.  "  I  suppose  that  I  must  have  been  very 
careless." 

"  Of  course  3'ou  were.  I  never  lose  any  money. 
Are  you  going  to  do  anything  about  it  ? " 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  185 

"  What  can  I  do  about  it?  " 

"  That's  so,"  returned  Luke,  relieved  to  find  that 
Harry  intended  to  do  nothing,  —  for  this  was  his  in- 
ference. "  The  only  thing  you  can  do  is  to  grin  and 
bear  it." 

"  And  be  more  careful  next  time." 

"  Of  course." 

"  He's  given  it  up,"  said  Luke  to  himself.  "  I 
think  I  can  venture  to  use  some  of  it  now.  I'll  go 
round  to  Merrill's  this  evening,  and  see  what  he's 
got  in  the  ■vvay  of  pants.  I  don't  fancy  them  that 
Haj'den  made  for  me.  He's  too  old-fashioned  for 
me.  He'll  do  well  enough  for  the  old  folks,  but  his 
clotlies  aint  nobby.  He's  fifty  j-ears  behind  the 
age." 

Accordingly  he  strolled  into  Merrill's  that  evening, 

"  Here  he  is,"  thought  the  tailor.  "  Let  me  see 
what  I  can  get  out  of  him." 

"  Got  any  new  cloths  in,  Merrill?"  asked  Luke. 

"  I've  got  some  new  cloths  for  pants." 

"  That's  just  what  I  want." 

"  You're  owing  me  a  biU." 

"  How  much  is  it?" 


186  BOUND  TO  nisE;  or, 

"  Some  over  thirty  dollars." 

"  I  can't  pay  it  all,  but  I'll  tell  you  what  I'll  do. 
I'll  pay  you  fifteen  dollars  on  account,  and  you  can 
make  me  a  new  pair  of  pants.     Will  that  answer?" 

"  All  right.  Of  course  I'd  rather  you'd  pay  the 
whole  bill.     Still  I  want  to  be  accommodating." 

"  Let  me  look  at  yom'  cloths." 

The  tailor  displayed  a  variety  of  cloths,  one  of 
which  suited  Luke's  fancy. 

"  I  like  that,"  he  said.  "  Make  me  a  pair  ofi"  of 
that.     "  How  do  they  make  them  now?  " 

"  I'll  show  you  the  last  plate  I  received." 

Luke  gave  dnections,  and  then  took  a  roll  of  bills 
from  his  pocket. 

"  Here's  fifteen  dollars,"  he  said.  "  Just  credit 
me  with  that  on  the  bill,  will  you  ?  " 

"  All  right,"  said  Merrill. 

He  proceeded  to  count  the  money,  which  consisted 
of  ones  and  twos,  and  instantly  came  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  it  was  from  Harry's  missing  pocket-book, 
particularly  as  he  came  upon  the  identical  note  with 
the  blot  in  the  centre. 

Unaware  of  the  manner  in  which  he  had  betrayed 


HARRT  Walton's  motto.  187 

himself,  Luke  felt  quite  complacent  over  Ms  re-estab- 
lished credit,  and  that  without  tmj  expense  to  him- 
self, and  speculated  as  to  whether  he  could  venture 
upon  any  additional  order  on  the  strength  of  it. 

"Have  you  got  any  new  cloth  for  coats?"  he 
asked. 

"  I  shall  have  some  new  cloths  in  next  week,  or 
the  week  after." 

"  All  right ;  I'll  drop  in.  When  will  you  have  the 
pants  done? " 

"You  ma}''  call  round  in  two  or  three  days." 

"  Just  make  'em  in  style,  Merrill,  and  I'll  send  all 
my  friends  here." 

"  Very  well.  I  hope  ^^ou'll  soon  be  able  to  pay  me 
the  balance  of  m}'  bill." 

"  Oh,  yes,  to  be  sure.  You  won't  have  to  wait 
long,"  said  Luke,  carelessly. 

He  swaggered  out  of  the  shop,  lighting  a  cigar  as 
he  went. 

"  My  young  friend,"  soliloquized  the  tailor,  watch- 
ing his  exit,  "  you  have  walked  into  my  trap  neatly. 
Colman,"  —  turning  to  a  young  man  present  at  the 


188  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

time,  —  "  did  you  see  Luke  Harrison  pay  me  this 
money  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  to  be  sure." 

"Do  3'ou  see  this  blot  on  one  of  the  bills  —  a 
two?" 

"Yes.     What  of  it?" 

"  Nothing  in  particular.  I  only  called  yoxix  atten- 
tion to  it."' 

"  I  don't  see  what  there  is  strange  about  that. 
An3^body  might  get  ink  on  a  bill,  mightn't  he?" 

"  Of  course." 

"  The  bUl's  just  as  good,  isn't  it?  " 

"  Of  com'se  it  is." 

Colman  was  puzzled.  He  could  not  understand 
wh}'  he  should  have  been  called  upon  to  notice  such 
a  trifle ;  but  the  tailor  had  liis  reasons,  though  he 
did  not  choose  to  divulge  them  just  at  present.  He 
wanted  to  be  able  to  prove  by  Colman's  testimony, 
if  necessar}^,  that  the  blotted  bill  Avas  actually  put 
into  his  hands  by  Luke  Harrison,  in  case  the  latter 
should  try  to  get  out  of  the  difficulty  by  denying  it. 


nAIinY   JFALTOX'S  MOTTO.  189 


CHAPTER    XXI. 

LUKE    IS    DISAGREEABLY    SURPRISED. 

"  Is  that  the  bill  jon  spoke  of,  Walton  ?  "  asked 
the  tailor,  on  Harry's  next  visit  to  the  shop. 

"Yes,"  said  Harry,  eagerly.  "Where  did  j^ou 
get  it?" 

"  You  can  guess." 

"  From  Luke  Harrison?  " 

"  Yes  ;  he  paid  me,  last  evening,  fifteen  dollars  on 
account  of  his  bill.  He  wouldn't  have  done  it,  but 
that  he  wanted  another  pair  of  pants,  and  knew  I 
"wouldn't  trust  him  unless  he  paid  me  something  on 
the  bill.     This  note  was  among  those  he  paid  me." 

"It  is  mine.     I  can  swear  to  it." 

"  The  rest  of  the  money  was  yours,  no  doubt.  It 
is  in  ones  and  twos.  Luke  has  been  caught  in  a 
trap." 

"  What  shaU  I  do,  ]Mr.  MerriU?" 

"  The  money  is  yom-s,  and  I  will  restore  it  to  you 


190  BOUND  TO  itiSE;  on, 

after  seeing  Luke.  I  will  send  for  Mm  to  be  here  at 
seven  o'clock  tins  evening." 

"  Suppose  he  denies  giving  you  the  hill?  " 

"  I  am  prepared  for  that." 

As  Luke  was  at  work  in  his  shop  that  day,  the 
tailor's  boy  came  in  with  a  note. 

"  This  is  for  3'ou,  Luke,"  he  said. 

Lulie  opened  it,  and  read  as  follows :  — 

"  "Will  3'ou  call  at  my  shop  at  seven  this  evening, 
about  the  pants  you  ordered  ? 

"Henry  Merrill." 

"  Tell  your  father  I'll  come,"  said  Luke.  "  What 
does  he  want  to  see  mo  for  ?  " 

"  lie  didn't  say." 

"  Well,  I'll  be  there." 

"  I  suppose,"  he  thought,  "  Merrill  wants  to  con- 
sult me  about  something.  I  hope  he'll  hurry  them 
up." 

At  seven  o'clock  he  entered  the  tailor's  shop  once 
more. 

"  Well,  Merrill,  what  do  you  v^ant  to  see  me 
about?"  he  asked.     "Have  you  cut  the  pants?" 


nARiiY  Walton's  motto.  191 

'<  No." 

"You  haven't?  I  wanted  you  to  go  to  work  on 
them  at  once." 

"  I  know  it ;  but  it  was  necessary  to  see  you  first." 

"  Why  —  didn't  jou  take  the  measure  right?  " 

"  Luke,"  said  Mr.  Merrill,  looking  him  steadily  in 
the  eye,  "  where  did  you  get  that  money  you  paid 
me  on  account?" 

""Where  did  I  get  the  money?"  repeated  Luke, 
flushing  up.  "  What  makes  you  ask  me  that  ques- 
tion? Isn't  it  good  money?  'Tisn't  counterfeit,  is 
it?" 

"  No  ;  it's  good  enough." 

"  Then  what  are  you  talking  about?" 

"  I  asked  you  where  jow  got  it  from?  " 

"  From  the  man  I  work  for,  to  be  sure,"  said 
Luke,  determined  to  brazen  it  out. 

"  Will  you  swear  to  that? " 

"  I  don't  see  the  use  of  swearing.  Can't  you  take 
my  word  ?  " 

"  I  may  as  well  tell  you  that  Harry  Walton  recog- 
nizes one  of  the  bills  as  a  part  of  the  money  he  lost 
the  other  evenino;." 


192  BOUND  TO  eise;  on, 

"  He  does,  does  he  ?  "  said  Luke,  boldly.  "  That's 
all  nonsense.     Bills  all  look  alike." 

"This  one  has  a  drop  of  ink  Justin  the  centre. 
He  remembered  having  dropped  a  blot  upon  it  one 
evening  when  he  was  writing  a  letter." 

"  What  have  I  to  do  with  that?  " 

"It  is  hardly  necessary  to  explain.  The  evening 
he  lost  the  money  you  were  with  him.  Two  days 
after,  j'ou  pay  me  one  of  the  bills  which  he  lost," 
said  the  tailor,  pointedly. 

"Do  you  mean  to  say  I  stole  'em?"  demanded 
Luke,  angry,  but  also  secretly  frightened. 

"  It  looks  like  it,  unless  you  can  explain  how  you 
came  hy  the  blotted  bill." 

"  I  don't  believe  I  paid  you  the  bill.  Very  likely 
it  was  some  one  else." 

"I  thought  you  would  say  that,  so  I  called 
Colman's  attention  to  it  as  soon  as  you  were  gone. 
However,  if  youi-  employer  admits  paying  you  the 
bills,  of  course  yoxa  are  all  right." 

Luke  remembered  very  well  that  he  was  paid  in 
fives,  and  that  such  an  appeal  would  do  him  no 
good. 


nARRT  Walton's  motto.  193 

"  Does  Walton  know  this  ?  "  he  asked,  sinking  into 
a  chair,  and  wiping  the  perspiration  from  his  brow. 

"  Yes ;  he  suspected  you,  and  asked  me  to  look 
out  for  a  blotted  two." 

"  I'd  like  to  choke  him ! "  said  Luke,  fiercely. 
"  The  miserly  scoundrel !  " 

"  It  seems  to  me  that  he  is  quite  justified  in  trying 
to  recover  his  money.  What  have  you  done  with  the 
rest  of  it?" 

"  Tell  me  what  will  be  done  to  me,"  said  Luke, 
sullenly.  "  I  didn't  steal  it.  I  onty  picked  it  up 
when  he  dropped  it  in  the  road.  He  deserves  to 
lose  it,  for  being  so  careless." 

"Why  didn't  you  tell  him  you  had  found  it?" 

"  I  meant  to  give  it  to  him  after  a  while.  I  only 
wanted  to  keep  it  long  enough  to  frighten  him." 

"  That  was  dangerous,  particularly^  as  you  used 
it." 

"  I  meant  to  give  him  back  other  money.  I  was 
hard  up,  and  so  I  used  it  for  a  short  time." 

"  I  don't  think  that  excuse  will  avail  you  in  a 
com-t  of  justice." 


194  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

"  Court  of  justice  !  "  repeated  Luke,  turning  pale 
"  He  won't  have  me  taken  up  —  will  he  ?  " 

"  He  will  unless  yon  an-ange  to  restore  all  the 
money." 

"  I've  paid  you  part  of  it." 

"  That  I  shall  hand  over  to  him.     Have  you  the 
rest?" 

"  I've  spent  a  few  dollars.     I've  got  eight  dollars 
left." 

"You  had  better  give  it  to  me." 

Reluctantly,  Luke  drew  out  his  pocket-book,  and 
passed  the  eight  dollars  to  Mr.  Merrill. 

"  So  far,  so  good,"  said  the  tailor.     "  Now  when 
will  you  pay  the  rest?" 

"  In  a  few  weeks,"  said  Luke. 

"  That   won't    do.      How  much  do    you  earn  a 
week  ?  " 

"  Fifteen  dollars." 

"  How  much  do  you  pay  for  board?" 

"  Five  dollars." 

"  Then  you  will  be  able  to  pay  ten  dollars  at  the 
end  of  this  week." 


nAKRY  Walton's  motto.  195 

•'  I  can't  get  along  without  money,"  said  Luke, 
doggedly. 

"  You  will  have  to  till  you  pay  back  the  money, 
unless  you  prefer  appearing  before  a  court  of  jus- 
tice." 

It  was  not  a  pleasant  state  of  affairs.  Luke  now 
regretted  that  he  had  surrendered  so  much  of  his 
unlawful  gains.  But  this  was  not  the  worst  of  it. 
He  was  just  going  out  when  the  tailor  called  him 
back. 

"  Come  back  a  minute,"  he  said. 

"  What  do  you  want  now? "  said  Luke,  irritably. 

"  I  believe  you  owe  me  over  thirty  dollars.  When 
are  you  going  to  pay  it  ?  " 

"  I  can't  pay  it  yet  a  while,"  said  Luke,  in  no  very 
good  humor. 

"  I  think  yon  liad  better,"  said  the  tailor,  quietly. 

There  was  a  significance  in  his  tone,  which  arrested 
Luke's  attention. 

"I'll  pay  you  as  soon  as  I  can,"  he  said.  "I 
haven't  got  anj  money  now." 

"  You  ought  to  have.  You  make  ten  dollars  a 
week  over  and  above  your  board,  and  spend  it  on 


196  BOUND  TO  hise;  or, 

drink,  billiards,  and  fast  horses.  You  are  fully  able 
to  pay  for  your  clothes  promptly,  and  I  advise  you 
to  do  it." 

"  I'll  pay  you  as  soon  as  I  can." 

"  If  yo\x  neglect  to  do  it,  I  may  as  well  tell  you 
that  I  shall  let  it  be  known  that  you  stole  "Walton's 
pocket-book." 

An  expression  of  alarm  overspread  Luke's  faco, 
and  he  hastily  made  the  required  promise.  But  he 
added,  "  I  didn't  steal  it.     I  only  found  it." 

"  The  whole  storj^  would  be  told,  and  people  might 
think  as  they  pleased.  But  it  is  much  better  for  you 
to  avoid  all  this,  by  pa^-ing  3-our  bills." 

Luke  Harrison  left  the  tailor's  shop  in  a  very 
unhappy  and  disgusted  frame  of  mind.  The  pros- 
pect of  paj-ing  his  debts  under  compulsion  was  far 
from  agreeable,  and  he  cursed  his  folly  in  so  soon 
making  use  of  Harr^^  Walton's  money. 

"  If  I  had  only  had  the  sense  to  wait  till  it  blew 
over,"  he  said  to  himself,  "  I  should  have  escaped  all 
this.     I  didn't  think  Merrill  would  act  so  mean." 

That  was  his  way  of  looking  at  it.     My  readers 


jTAnnr  Walton's  motto,  197 

will  probably  take  a  different  view  of  the  course  pur- 
sued l)y  the  tailor. 

"  Now  I'm  in  for  pa3'ing  his  infernal  bill  besides," 
he  continued.     "  It's  too  bad." 

Just  then  he  came  upon  Frank  Heath,  who  hailed  ' 
him. 

"  Luke,  I  was  just  looking  for  you.     Come  and 
play  a  game  of  billiards." 

"  If  3'ou'll  promise  not  to  beat  me.     I  haven't  got 
a  cent  of  money." 

"You  haven't?    What  have  you  done  with  those 
bills  3'ou  had  this  afternoon  ?  " 

"  I've  paid  'em  over  to  Merrill,"  said  Luke,  hesi- 
tating.    "  He  was  in  a  deuced  stew  about  his  bill."  . 

"Don't  you  owe  him  anymore?     Have  you  paid 
all  up?" 

"  Not  quite." 

"  When  are  j^'our  new  pants  going  to  be  read}',  — 
those  you  told  me  about  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  Luke,  with  a  pang  of  disap- 
pointment. 

"  Merrill's  making  them,  isn't  he? " 


198  BOUND    TO   ItlSE;    OR, 

"  He  agreed  to ;  but  now  he  sa3-s  he  won't,  till  I 
have  paid  the  whole  bill." 

"  Seems  to  me  ^-our  credit  aiut  xqvj  good,  Luke." 

"  It's  good  enough,  but  he's  hard  up  for  mone}^.  I 
guess  he's  going  to  fail.  If  you'll  lend  me  a  couple 
of  dollars,  I'll  go  round  and  have  a  game." 

Frank  Heath  laughed. 

"  You'll  have  to  go  to  some  one  else,  Luke,"  he 
said.     "  Perhaps  3"0u're  going  to  fail  too." 

Luke  passed  a  disagreeable  evening.  Cut  off  b}^ 
his  want  of  mone}'  from  his  ordinary  amusements, 
and  depressed  hj  the  thought  that  things  would  be 
no  better  till  he  had  paid  his  bills,  he  lounged  about, 
feeling  that  he  was  a  victim  of  ill  luck.  It  did  not 
occur  to  him  that  the  ill  luck  was  of  his  own  bring- 
ing on. 


UARRT  Walton's  motto.  199 


CHAPTER    XXII. 


ANOTHER   MISFORTUNE. 


Harry  was  not  a  little  rejoiced  at  the  recovery  of 
so  large  a  portion  of  liis  lost  money,  and  the  pros- 
pect of  getting  back  the  rest.  But  he  was  sorry  to 
find  Luke  capable  of  the  intent  to  defraud  him.  He 
foresaw  that  there  would  be  some  embarrassment  in 
meeting  him,  but  he  resolved,  not  by  look  or  word, 
to  suggest  what  had  happened.  Accordingly  when, 
the  day  afterwards,  he  met  Luke  on  the  bridge,  he 
said,  pleasantlj",  "  Good-morning,  Luke." 

"  Good-morning,"  said  Luke,  stiffly. 

"  He'll  get  over  it  when  he  finds  I  don't  speak  of 
it,"  thought  Harr}'. 

But  the  week  passed,  and  Luke  carefully  avoided 
our  hero,  going  so  far  as  to  cross  the  street  so  as  not 
to  meet  him.  On  Saturday  evening,  according  to 
his  arrangement,  Luke  was  to  have  paid  the  siu'plus 
of  his  wages,  after  meeting  his   board  bill,  to  Mr. 


200  BOUND  TO  hise;  on, 

Merrill,  for  Harry.  But  he  he  did  not  go  near  him. 
On  Monday,  the  tailor  meeting  him,  inquired  why  he 
had  not  kept  his  agreement. 

"  The  fact  is,"  said  Luke,  "  I  have  been  unluckj-." 

"  How  unlucky  ?  " 

"  I  had  my  wages  loose  in  my  pocket,  and  man- 
aged to  lose  them  somehow.  I've  looked  evev}'- 
where,  and  can't  find  the  mone3^" 

"  That  is  very  singular,"  said  the  tailor,  sus- 
piciously. 

"Why  is  it  singular?"  asked  Luke.  "Didn't 
Harry  "Walton  lose  his  money  ?  " 

"  You  seem  to  have  lost  yours  at  a  \evj  con- 
venient time." 

"  It's  hard  on  me,"  said  Luke.  "  Owing  so  much, 
I  want  to  pa}^  as  quick  as  I  can,  so  as  to  have  my 
v>'ages  to  myself.     Don't  3-ou  see  that  ?  " 

"Where  do  5-ou  think  you  lost  the  money?" 
asked  Merrill. 

"  I'm  sure  I  don't  know,"  said  Luke. 

"  Well,"  said  Merrill,  drylj' ,  "  I  hope  3'ou  will 
take  better  care  of  your  wages  next  Saturday 
evening." 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  201 

"  I  mean  to.     I  can't  afford  to  lose  any  more." 

"  I  don't  believe  a  word  of  what  lie  saj's  about 
losing  his  money,"  said  the  tailor,  privately  to 
Harry.  "  I  think  it's  only  a  trick  to  get  rid  of 
paying  you." 

"Don't  you  think  he'll  pay  me?"  asked  Harr}', 
anxiously. 

"  He  won't  if  he  can  help  it,"  was  the  answer. 
"  He's  a  slipper}'  customer.  I  believe  his  money  is 
in  his  pocket  at  this  moment." 

Mr.  Merrill  was  not  quite  right ;  but  it  was  only  as 
to  the  whereabouts  of  the  money.  It  was  in  Luke's 
trunk.  He  had  spent  but  little,  partly  because  it 
would  excite  suspicion,  and  perhaps  lead  to  ex- 
posure, and  partly  because  he  had  a  plan  in  view 
which  required  a  suppl}^  of  funds.  To  be  plain,  he 
intended  to  run  awa}',  leaving  all  his  creditors  in  tjie 
lurch.  This  was  the  "  new  way  to  pay  old  debts," 
which  occiurred  to  Lulce  as  much  the  easiest.  Be- 
sides, he  Avould  have  the  satisfaction  of  leaving  the 
tailor  and  Harry,  both  of  whom  he  hated,  to  whistle 
for  their  money. 


202  BOUND    TO  RISE,    OR, 

The  nest  Saturday  evening,  Mr.  Merrill  waited  in 
vain  for  a  call  from  his  debtor. 

"  What  excuse  will  he  have  now?  "  he  thought. 

On  Monday  morning  he  learned  that  Luke  had  left 
town  without  acquainting  any  one  with  his  destina- 
tion. It  transpired,  also,  that  he  was  OAving  at  his 
boarding-house  for  two  weeks'  board.  He  was  thus 
enabled  to  depart  with  nearly  thirty  dollars,  for  parts 
unknown. 

"  He's  a  hard  case,"  said  Mr.  Merrill  to  Harry. 
"  I  am  afraid  he  means  to  owe  us  for  a  long  time  to 
come." 

"Where  do  3'ou  think  he  is  gone ? "  asked  Harry, 
anxiousl}^ 

"I  have  no  idea.  He  has  evidently  been  saving 
up  monej^  to  help  him  out  of  town.  Probabl}'  he  has 
gone  to  some  other  place  ^-here  there  ase  shoe-shops  ; 
but  I  am  afraid  that  won't  give  us  a  very  definite 
clue.  Sometime  we  may  get  upon  his  track,  and 
compel  him  to  pay  up." 

"  That  won't  do  me  much  good,"  said  Harry, 
despondently.     And  then  he  told  the  tailor  wliy  he 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  203 

wanted  the  money.  "  Now,"  he  concluded,  "  I 
shan't  be  able  to  have  the  money  ready   in  time." 

"  You'll  have  most  of  it  readj^,  won't  you? " 

"  I  think  I  will." 

"No  doubt  this  man  that  sold  your  father  the 
cow  will  wait  for  the  balance." 

"I  don't  know  about  it,"  said  Harry,  doubtfully, 
"  He  is  a  very  close  man,  and  will  take  an  advantage 
when  he  can." 

"I  would  lend  you  the  money  myself,"  said  the 
tailor  ;  "  but  I've  got  a  heavy  payment  to  meet,  and 
some  of  m}'  customers  are  slow  pay,  though  I  have 
not  many  as  bad  as  Luke  Harrison." 

"Thank  you,  Mr.  Merrill,"  said  Harry.  "I  am 
as  much  obliged  to  3'ou  as  if  you  could  lend  me  the 
money.     I'll  think  it  over  and  see  what  I  can  do." 

But  it  is  said  that  misfortunes  never  come  singly. 
The  very  next  day  Mr.  Leavitt  received  a  message 
from  the  wholesale  dealer  to  whom  he  sold  his  shoes, 
that  the  market  was  glutted,  and  sales  slow. 

"  I  shall  not  want  an}'  more  goods  for  a  month  or 
two,"  the  letter  concluded.  "  I  will  let  you  know 
when  I  need  more." 


204  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

Mr.  Leavitt  read  this  letter  aloud  in  the  shop. 

"  So  it  seems  we  are  to  have  a  vacation,"  he  said, 
"  That's  the  worst  of  the  shoe-trade.  It  isn't  stead}-. 
When  it's  good  everybody  rushes  into  it,  and  the 
market  soon  gets  overstocked.  Then  there's  no 
work  for  weeks.  If  a  man  manages  to  save  up  a 
little  money  in  good  times,  he  has  to  spend  it  then. 
I'd  take  up  another  business ;  but  I'm  getting  too 
old  for  that." 

This  was  a  catastrophe  for  which  Harry  was  not 
prepared.  He  heard  the  announcement  with  a  grave 
face,  for  to  him  it  was  a  serious  calamity.  Twenty- 
three  dollars  were  all  that  he  had  saved  from  the 
mone}^  lost,  and  this  would  be  increased  b}-  a  dollar 
or  two  only,  when  he  had  settled  up  with  Mr. 
Leavitt.  As  to  the  future,  he  did  not  know  what 
to  do.  If  he  staj'ed  here  and  did  not  obtain  work, 
he  must  paj^  his  board,  and  that  would  soon  swallow 
up  his  money.  Could  he  get  work  in  an}-  other 
shop?     That  was  an  important  question. 

"Do  3-0U  think  I  can  get  into  any  other  shop  in 
town?"  he  inquired  anxiously  of  Mr.  Leavitt. 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  205 

"  You  can  try,  Harr}^ ;  but  I  guess  you'll  find 
others  no  better  off  than  I." 

This  was  not  very  encouraging,  hut  Harry  deter- 
mined not  to  give  up  without  an  effort.  He  devoted 
the  next  day  to  going  round  among  the  shoe-shops  ; 
but  everywhere  he  met  with  unfavorable  answers. 
Some  had  already  suspended.  Others  were  about  to 
do  so.  It  became  clear  to  Harry  that  this  resource 
was  shut  out,  and  that  if  he  succeeded  in  obtaining 
work,  it  must  be  something  of  a  different  nature. 

"  It  seems  as  if  all  my  money  must  go,"  thought 
Harry,  looking  despondently  at  his  little  hoard. 
"First  the  ten  dollars  Luke  Harrison  stole.  Then 
work  stopped.  I  don't  know  but  it  would  be  better 
for  me  to  go  home." 

But  the  more  Harrj^  thought  of  this,  the  less  he 
liked  it.  It  would  be  an  inglorious  ending  to  his 
campaign.  Besides,  he  feared  that  he  would  not 
again  obtain  permission  to  start  out  for  himself. 
Again,  dark  as  the  prospect  looked  just  at  present, 
something  might  turn  up.  Probably  now  he  would 
not  be  able  to  carry  out  his  plan  of  paying  for  the 
cow ;  but  if  his  father  should  lose  it,  he  might  be 


206  BOUND  TO  msE;  on, 

able,  if  he  found  work,  to  bn}'  him  anotlier.  Squire 
Green's  cow  was  not  the  only  cow  in  the  world,  and 
all  would  not  be  lost  if  he  could  not  buy  her. 

"I  won't  give  up  yet,"  said  Harry,  pluckily.  "I 
must  expect  to  meet  with  some  bad  luck.  I  suppose 
everybody  does,  first  or-  last.  Something'll  tm*n  up 
for  me,  if  I  fay  to  make  it." 

This  was  good  philosoph3\  "Waiting  passively'  for 
something  to  turn  up  is  bad  policj',  and  likely  to  lead 
to  disappointment ;  but  waiting  actively,  ready  to 
seize  any  chance  that  maj''  offer,  is  quite  different. 
The  world  is  full  of  chances  for  those  who  are  wait- 
ing thus,  and  from  such  chances  so  seized  has  been 
based  man}^  a  prosperous  career. 

During  his  first  idle  da}",  Harr^^'s  attention  was 
drawn  to  a  handbill  which  had  been  posted  up  in 
the  store,  the  post-office,  the  tavern,  and  other  public 
places  in  the  village.     It  was  to  this  effect :  — 

"PROFESSOR     HENDERSON, 

THE    CELEBRATED    MAGICIAN, 

Will  exhibit  his  wonderful  feats  of  Magic  and  Sleight  of  Hand 
in  the  Town  Hall  this  evening,  commeneing  at  8  o'clock. 
In  the  course  of  the  entertainment  he  will  amuse  the 
audience  by  his  wonderful  exhibition  of  Ventril- 
oquism, in  which  he  is  unsurpassed. 
Tickets  25  cents.     Children  under  twelve,  15  cents." 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  207 

Such  was  the  notice  which  attracted  Harry's  atten- 
tion. In  a  country  village,  where  amusements  are 
few,  such  entertainments  occupy  a  far  more  impor- 
tant place  than  in  a  cit}',  where  amusements  abound. 
The  3"oung  people,  in  particular,  were  greatly  in- 
terested. 

"Are  5"ou  going  to  the  exhibition,  Walton?" 
asked  Frank  Heath. 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  Plarry. 

"  Better  come.     It'll  be  worth  seeing." 

In  spite  of  his  economj^,  our  hero  felt  a  strong 
inclination  to  go.  He  had  never  witnessed  such  an 
entertainment,  as  Granton  was  too  small  for  Pro- 
fessor Henderson  to  visit,  and  it  was  generally 
thought  hardly  worth  while  for  travelling  perform- 
ers to  stop  over  an  evening  in  a  place  so  sparsely 
settled. 

"  The  professor's  stopping  at  the  tavern.  Come 
over,  and  we  may  see  him,"  said  Frank. 

Harry  felt  some  curiosity  to  see  the  magician,  and 
accompanied  his  companion  thither. 


208  BOUND  TO  nisE;  or. 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 


PROFESSOR  HENDERSON. 


The  hoys  went  into  the  public  room  of  the  tavern. 
In  the  centre  was  a  stove,  around  which  were  gath- 
ered a  miscellaneous  crowd,  who  had  assembled,  as 
usual,  to  hear  and  talk  over  the  news  of  the  day. 
At  the  further  end  of  the  room  was  a  bar,  where 
liquor  and  cigars  were  sold.  The  walls  of  the  room, 
which  was  rather  low-studded,  were  ornamented  by 
sundry  notices  and  posters  of  different  colors,  some 
of  them  altogether  out  of  date,  with  here  and  there 
an  engrr.ving  of  no  great  artistic  excellence,  —  one 
representing  a  horse-race,  another  a  steamer  of  the 
Canard  Liue,  and  still  another,  the  Presidents  of 
the  United  States  grouped  together,  with  "Washing- 
ton as  the  central  figure. 

" Have  a  cigar,  "Walton?"  asked  Frank  Heath. 

"  No,  thank  j-^ou,  Frank." 

"  You  haven't  got  so  far  along,  hey  ? " 


HARBT  Walton's  motto.  209 

"I  don't  think  it  would  do  me  any  good,"  said 
Harry. 

"  Maybe  not ;  but  jolly  comfortable  in  a  cold 
night.     The  worst  of  it  is,  it's   mighty  expensive." 

Frank  walked  up  to  the  bar  and  bought  a  ten-cent 
cigar.  He  returned,  and  sat  down  on  a  settee  be- 
side Harry,  first  lighting  his  cigar. 

"  The  magician  isn't  here,"  said  Harrj'. 

"  Hush,  he  is  here ! "  said  Frank,  in  a  low  voice, 
as  the  door  opened,  and  a  tall,  portly  man  entered 
the  room. 

Professor  Henderson  —  for  it  was  he  —  walked  up 
to  the  bar,  and  followed  Frank  Heath's  example  in 
the  i)urchase  of  a  cigar.  Then  he  glanced  leisurely 
round  the  apartment.  Finally  his  eyes  rested  on 
Harry  and  his  companion.  Apparently  his  atten- 
tion was  fixed  by  our  hero,  for  he  walked  up  to  him, 
and  said,  "  Young  man,  I  would  like  to  speak  to 
you." 

"  All  right,  sir,"  said  Hany,  in  surprise. 

"  If  3'ou  are  not  otherwise  occupied,  will  you 
accompany  me  to  m}-  room?" 

"  Certainl3^,  sir,"  returned  Harr}-,  in  fresh  wonder, 


210  BOUND  TO  hise;  or, 

"whicli,  it  is  needless  to  say,  was  shared  by  Frank 
Heath. 

"  Perhaps  he's  going  to  take  in  Walton  as  j)art- 
ner,"  he  suggested  to  Tom  Frisbie. 

"I  wonder  what  he  wants,  anj-  wa}-?"  said  Fris- 
bie.    "  Wh}''  didn't  he  take  3'ou?  " 

"  Because  I'm  too  sharp,"  said  Frank.  "  I  should 
see  through  his  tricks." 

Meanwhile,  Harrj^  had  entered  the  professor's 
chamber. 

"  Sit  down,"  said  the  magician ;  and  he  seated 
himself  in  a  chair,  waving  Harry  to  another. 

"  I'll  tell  3'ou  at  once  what  I  want  of  you.  If  3'ou 
are  not  occupied,  I  want  you  to  take 'tickets  at  the 
door  of  the  hall  to-night.     Can  you  do  it?" 

'  "  Yes,  sir,"  said  Harry,  promptly.  He  saw  that 
here  was  a  chance  of  making  a  little  monc}',  and 
he  could  not  afford  to  decline  it. 

"  It  seems  easy  enough,"  said  the  professor  ;  "but 
not  every  one  can  do  it  rapidly  without  making 
mistakes.     Are  you  quick  at  figures?" 

"  I  am  usually  considered  so,"  said  om'  hero.  "  I 
always  liked  arithmetic." 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  211 

"  I  won't   ask  whether  you   are  honest,  for  jou 
would  say  so,  of  course." 
•  "  I  hope  "  —  commenced  Harrj'. 

"  I  know  what  you  are  going  to  say  ;  but  there  is 
no  need  of  saying  it,"  interrupted  the  magician.  "  I 
judge  from  your  face,  which  is  an  honest  one.  I 
have  travelled  about  a  good  deal,  and  I  am  a  good 
judge  of  faces,  I  flatter  myself." 

"  You  shall  not  be  disappointed,  sir." 

"  I  know  that,  in  advance.  Now  tell  me  if  you 
are  at  work,  or  do  you  attend  school?" 

"  I  have  been  at  work  in  a  shoe-shoj)  in  this  vil- 
lage, sir." 

"Not  now?" 

"  No,  sir ;  business  is  dull,  and  work  has  given 
out." 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  next?" 

"  An3'thing  by  which  I  can  earn  an  honest  living." 

"  That's  the  way  to  talk.  I'll  give  you  a  chance. 
I'll  take  3'ou  into  my  employ,  if  you  have  no  objec- 
tion to  travel." 

Objection  to  travel !  Who  ever  heard  of  a  boy  of 
fifteen  who  had  an  objection  to  travel?    The  very 


212  BOUND  TO  hise;  oit, 

suggestion  made  Harry  look  eager  and  animated,  as 
he  assm-ed  the  professor  that  he  should  like  to  travel. 

"But  will  your  j)arents  consent?  That  is  the 
next  question.  I  don't  want  to  entice  any  boys 
away  from  home  against  their  parents'  consent." 

"  My  parents  do  not  live  here.  The}-  live  farther 
north,  in  the  town  of  Granton." 

"Granton?  I  never  was  there.  Is  it  a  large 
place  ?  " 

"  No,  sir,  it  is  a  \e.ry  small  place.  My  father  con- 
sented to  have  me  leave  home,  as  there  was  nothing 
to  do  there,  and  he  will  have  no  objection  to  my 
earning  my  living  in  any  honest  wa}-." 

"  Well,  my  young  friend,  I  can  assure  you  that 
my  way  is  an  honest  one,  though  I  frankly  confess  I 
do  m}^  best  to  deceive  the  people  who  come  to  my 
entertainments." 

"  What  is  it  you  want  me  to  do,  sir  ?  " 

"Partly  what  you  are  going  to  do  to-night.: — take 
tickets  at  the  door ;  but  that  is  not  all.  I  have  to 
carry  about  considerable  apparatus,  and  I  need  help 
about  arranging  it.  Sometimes,  also,  I  need  help  in 
m}^  experiments.     I  had  a  young  man  with  me  until 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  213 

two  da3"s  since ;  but  he  is  taken  down  with  a  fever 
and  obliged  to  go  home.  .  It  is  not  likely,  as  his 
health  is  delicate,  that  he  will  care  to  resume  his 
position.     I  must  have  somebody  in  his  place." 

"Do  you  think  I  am  old  enough,  sir?"  asked 
Harry. 

"  How  old  are  you?  " 

"  Fifteen." 

Harr^^'s  fifteenth  birthday  had  recently  passed. 

"  I  have  no  doubt  you  will  answer  my  purpose. 
There  is  nothing  very  hard  to  do." 

"  How  much  pay  do  you  give,  sir?" 

"A  practical  question,"  said  the  professor,  smil- 
ing. "  To  begin  with,  of  course  I  pay  travelling 
expenses,  and  I  can  offer  you  five  dollars  a  week 
besides.     Will  that  be  satisfactory?" 

"Yes,  sir,"  said  Harry,  his  heart  giving  a  great 
throb  of  exultation,  as  he  realized  that  his  new 
business  would  give  him  two  dollars  a  week  more 
than  his  work  in  the  shop,  besides  being  a  good  deal 
more  agreeable,  since  it  would  give  him  a  chance  to 
see  a  little  of  the  world. 


214  BOUND  TO  rise;  on, 

"  Can  you  get  ready  to  start  with  me  to-morrow 
morning  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  Then  it  is  settled.  Be  here  at  ten  o'clock. 
This  will  give  3-ou  a  chance  to  make  any  little 
preparations.  But  it  is  time  j-ou  were  at  the  hall. 
I  will  give  you  a  supply  of  small  bills  and  change, 
as  you  may  have  to  change  some  bills." 

He  drew  from  his  side  pocket  a  wallet,  which  he 
placed  in  the  hands  of  our  hero. 

"  This  wallet  contains  twenty  dollars,"  he  said. 
"  Of  course  you  will  bring  me  back  that  amount,  in 
addition  to  what  you  take  at  the  door  this  evening." 

"Very  well,  sir." 

"  You  can  wait  for  me  at  the  close  of  the  evening, 
and  hand  me  all  together.  Now  go  over  to  the  hall, 
as  the  doors  are  to  be  open  at  half-past  seven  o'clock, 
and  it  only  lacks  ten  minutes  of  the  time." 

"When  Frank  Heath  and  his  companion  went  over 
to  the  Town  Hall,  they  found  Harry  busily  engaged 
in  making  change. 

"  Hallo,  Walton  !  "  said  Frank.  "  Are  you  the 
treasurer  of  this  concern?" 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  215 

"  It  seems  so,"  said  Harry. 

"You'll  let  in  3'our  friends  for  nothing,  won't 
you?" 

"Not  much,"  said  Harry.  "  I  charge  them  double 
price." 

"Well,  here's  j^our  money.  I  say,  Tom,  I  wonder 
the  old  fellow  didn't  take  me  instead  of  Walton." 

"  That's  easily  told.  You  don't  look  honest 
enough." 

"  Oh,  if  it  comes  to  that,  he  passed  over  you,  too, 
Tom." 

"  He  wouldn't  insult  a  gentleman  of  my  dignit}-, 
by  offering  me  such  an  office.  Come  on ;  there's 
room  on  the  front  seat." 

Harry  was  k«pt  busy  till  ten  minutes  after  eight. 
By  that  time  about  all  who  intended  to  be  present 
were  in  the  hall,  and  the  magician  was  gratified  by 
seeing  that  it  was  crowded.  He  was  already  well 
known  in  the  village,  having  been  in  the  habit  of 
visiting  it  every  winter  for  several  years,  and  his 
reputation  for  dexterity,  and  especially  for  ventrilo- 
quism, had  called  out  this  large  audience. 

"  Ladies  and  gentlemen,"  he  began,  "  let  me  thank 


216  BOUND  TO  hise;  on, 

you  before  I  commenGe,  for  your  large  attendance 
this  evening.  I  assure  you,  apart  from  its  effect 
upon  my  purse,  I  am  truly  gratified  to  find  my 
efforts  to  amuse  j^ou  so  kindly  welcomed.  With- 
out further  preface,  I  will  proceed  to  the  business  of 
the  evening." 

I  do  not  propose  to  give  a  detailed  account  of  the 
professor's  tricks,  which  excited  great  wonder  in  the 
younger  portion  of  the  spectators.  I  will  only  dwell 
slightly  on  his  ventriloquism.  When  he  came  to 
this  part  of  the  entertainment,  he  said,  "Will  any 
young  gentleman  assist  me  ?  " 

Frank  Heath  immediately  left  his  seat,  and  took 
up  his  position  beside  the  professor, 

"  Now,  sir,"  said  the  professor,  "  I  want  to  ask 
you  a  question  or  two.  Will  you  answer  me 
truly?" 

A  gruff  voice  appeared  to  proceed   from  Frank's 

mouth,  sayiQg,  "  Yes,  sir." 

V*' 
"  Are  you  married,  sir  ?  " 

Again  the  same  gruff  voice  answered,  "  Yes,  sir ; 

I  wish  I  wasn't ; "  to  the  great  delight  of  the  small 

hojs  on  the  front  seats. 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  217 

"  Indeed,  sir !  I  hope  your  wife  doesn't  make  it 
uncomfortable  for  yow." 

"  She  licks  me,"  Frank  appeared  to  answer. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  hear  that,  sir.  What  does  she 
lick  you  with?" 

"  With  a  broomstick." 

Frank  looked  foolish,  and  there  was  a  general 
laugh  at  his  expense. 

"  I  hope  she  doesn't  treat  you  so  badly  very  often, 
sir." 

"Yes  she  does,  every  day,"  was  the  answer.  "If 
she  knowed  I  was  up  here  telling  you,  she'd  beat  me 
awful." 

"  In  that  case,  su",  I  won't  be  cruel  enough  to  keep 
you  here  any  longer.  Take  my  advice,  sir,  and  get 
a  divorce." 

"  So  I  will,  by  hokey ! " 

And  Frank,  amidst  hearty  laughter,  resulted  his 
seat,  not  having  uttered  a  word,  the  profesi^j  being 
responsible  for  the  whole  conversation. 


218  BOUND  TO  rise:  or. 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 

HOW   MATTERS   WENT    AT    HOME. 

DuKiNG  Harry's  absence,  the  little  household  at 
Granton  had  got  along  about  as  usual.  They  lived, 
as  it  were,  from  hand  to  mouth,  never  having  a 
dollar  to  spare.  It  requu-ed  sharp  financiering  to 
provide  food  and  clothes  for  the  little  famity.  The 
unproductive  acres  seemed  to  grudge  the  scanty 
crops  extorted  from  them,  and  it  was  absolutely 
necessary  for  Mr.  "Walton  to  earn  something  out- 
side. 

There  was  one  neighbor  who  watched  their 
progress  sharply,  and  this  was  Squire  Green.  It 
will  be  remembered  that  he  had  bound  Mr.  Walton 
to  forfeit  ten  dollars,  if,  at  the  end  of  six  months, 
he  was  not  prepared  to  pay  the  forty  dollars  and 
interest  which  he  had  agreed  to  pay  for  the  cow. 
It  is  a  proof  of  the  man's  intense  meanness  that, 
though  rich  while   his   neighbor  was  poor,  he  was 


HARRY   WALTOJV'S  3I0TT0.  219 

strongly  in  hopes  that  the  latter  would  incur  the  for- 
feit, and  be  compelled  to  pay  it.  As  a  bonus  of 
three  dollars  had  already  been  paid,  this  would  give 
him  thirteen  dollars  for  the  use  of  the  cow  for  six 
months,  which,  considering  the  value  of  the  animal, 
was  exorbitant. 

One  morning  Squire  Green  accosted  Mr.  Walton 
as  he  was  passing  his  house,  the  squire  being  at 
work  in  his  own  front  yard. 

"  Good-morning,  neighbor  "Walton,"  he  said. 

"  Good-morning,  squire." 

"  How  is  that  cow  a-doin'  ?  " 

"  Pretty  weU." 

"  She's  a  good  cow." 

"  Not  so  good  as  the  one  I  lost." 

"You're  jokin'  now,  neighbor.  It  was  my  best 
cow.     I  wouldn't  have  sold  her  except  to  obleege." 

"  She  doesn't  give  as  much  milk  as  my  old  one." 

"  Sho  !  3'ou  don't  say  so  !  I  guess  you  don't  feed 
her  as  well  as  I  did." 

Mr.  Walton  smiled  to  himself.  The  squire  was 
well  known  to  be  parsimonious,  even  with  his  cattle, 
and  it  was  generally  considered  that  if  they  had  had 


220  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

their  choice,  they  would  have  preferred  a  different 
boarding-place. 

"  She  fares  just  as  well  as  the  other  one  did.  Of 
course  I  don't  know  how  3'ou  fed  her." 

"  She  allers  had  her  fill  when  she  was  with  me. 
Le'  me  see,  how  long  is  it  since  I  sold  her  to  ye  ?  " 

Though  the  squire  apparently  asked  for  informa- 
tion, he  knew  the  time,  to  a  day,  and  was  not  very 
likely  to  forget  when  it  expired. 

"  It's  between  four  and  five  months,  I  believe." 

"  Jus'  so.  You  was  to  be  ready  to  pay  up  at  the 
end  of  six  months." 

"  That  was  the  agreement." 

"  You'd  better  be  a-savin'  up  for  it." 

"There  isn't  much  chance  of  my  saving.  It's  all 
I  can  do  to  make  both  ends  meet." 

"You  don't  say  so,"  said  the  squire,  secretly 
pleased. 

"My  farm  is  small  and  poor,  and  doesn't  yield 
much." 

"  But  you  work  out,  don't  you?  " 

"When  I  get   a  chance.     You    don't  want   any 


jiAEBY  Walton's  motto.  221 

help,  do  jon,  squire  ?  I  might  work  off  part  of  the 
debt  that  yfny." 

"No,  I  don't  want  notliiu'  done  now.  Mebbe 
next  spring  I'd  like  some  help." 

"That  will  be  too  late  to  meet  my  note,  unless 
you'll  renew." 

"I'll  see  about  it,"  said  the  squire,  evasively. 
"  What  do  you  hear  from  that  boy  of  yours?  Is  he 
doin'well?" 

"  He's  at  vrork  in  a  shoe-shop." 

"  Does  it  pay  well  ?  " 

"He  doesn't  get  much  just  at  first.  His  wages 
will  be  increased  b}^  and  by." 

"Then  he  won't  be  able  to  paj^  for  the  cow," 
thought  the  squire.  "  That's  what  I  wanted  to 
know." 

"  He'd  better  have  gone  to  work  for  me,"  he  said. 

"No,  I  think  he  will  do  better  away  from  home. 
He  will  get  a  good  trade  that  he  can  fall  back  upon 
hereafter,  even  if  he  follows  some  other  business." 

"Wal,  I  never  learned  no  trade,  but  I've  got 
along  middlin'  well,"  said  the  squire,  in  a  compla- 
cent tone.    "  Farmin's  good  enough  for  me." 


222  Dou^D  TO  hise;  on^ ' 

"  I  would  QV.y  the  same  if  I  had  3' our  farm,  squire. 
You  wouldn't  exchauge,  would  jou  ?  " 

"  That's  a  good  joke,  neighbor  Walton,"  said  the 
squire,  laughing.  "  "When  I  malie  up  my  mind  to 
do  it,  I'll  let  you  know." 

"  Well,  I  must  be  going  on  to  the  store.  Good- 
morning." 

"  Good-mornin'." 

"  What  a  mean  old  curmudgeon  he  is  ! "  thought 
Hiram  Walton,  as  he  kept  on  his  waj'  to  the  village 
store.  "He  evidently  intends  to  keep  mc  to  m^^ 
agreement,  and  will  exact  the  ten  dollars  in  case  I 
can't  paj'  for  the  cow  at  the  appointed  time.  It  will 
be  nothing  but  a  robber3^  I  suppose  I  ought  not  to 
have  consented  to  such  a  hard  condition  ;  but  I'm 
poor,  and  a  poor  man  is  liable  to  be  imposed  upon, 
because  of  his  povert3%  That's  where  it  is.  I  hope 
Harry  will  succeed  better  in  life  than  I  have.  I'm 
not  without  things  to  be  thanlvful  for ;  but  it's  hard 
to  be  so  pinched  for  money.  It's  nothing  but 
slaving  and  pinching  from  one  3'ear's  end  to  the 
other,  and  no  prospect  of  anything  better  ahead, 
that  I  can  see." 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  223 

This  •was  not  the  day  for  a  letter  from  Harrj-,  but 
it  occurred  to  Mr.  Walton  to  call  at  the  post-office. 
Contrary  to  his  anticipations,  a  letter  was  handed 
him. 

"  I  won't  open  it  till  I  get  home,"  he  said  to  him- 
self. 

Accordingly  he  went  to  the  store,  made  his  pur- 
chases, and  returned. 

"  I've  got  a  letter  from  Harry,"  he  said,  as  he 
entered  the  house. 

"A  letter  from  Harry?  It  isn't  his  daj'  for  writ- 
ing," said  Mrs.  "Walton.     "What  does  he  say?" 

"I  haven't  opened  the  letter  yet.  Here,  Tom, 
open  and  read  it  aloud." 

Tom  opened  the  letter  and  read  as  follows  :  — 

"  Dear  Father,  —  I  must  tell  yon,  to  begin  with, 
that  I  have  been  compelled  to  stop  work  in  the  shoe- 
sho]).  The  market  is  overstocked,  and  so  the  trade 
has  become  very  dull." 

"  What  a  pity ! "  interrupted  Mrs.  Walton. 
"Just  as    he  was    getting   along   so   nicelj^,   too." 


224  BOUND  TO  jiise;  or, 

"  I'm  afraid  Harry  inherits  some  of  my  bad 
luck,"   said  his  father,  gloomil}-. 

"  Wait  a  minute,  father,"  said  Tom,  whose  eyes 
had  been  running  on  in  advance.  "  See  what  Harr^'' 
says  next." 

"  Read  on,  Tom." 

"  Of  course  I  felt  quite  bad  when  Mr.  Leavitt 
told  me  this,  for  I  feared  it  would  prevent  my  help- 
ing 3'ou  pa}'  for  the  cow,  as  I  want  so  much  to  do. 
I  went  round  to  several  other  shops,  hoping  to  get 
in,  elsewhere ;  but  I  found  it  impossible.  Still,  I 
have  succeeded  in  getting  something  to  do  that  will 
pa}^  me  better  than  work  in  the  shop.  You  will  be 
surprised  when  j'ou  find  out  what  it  is.  If  you  were 
to  guess  all  day,  I  don't  believe  you  would  guess 
what  business  it  is.  So,  to  relieve  3'our  suspense,  I 
will  tell  you  that  I  have  engaged  as  assistant  to 
Professor  Henderson,  the  famous  magician  and  ven- 
triloquist, and  am  to  start  to-morrow  morning  on  a 
travelling  tour  with  him." 

"  Assistant    to    a     magician ! "     exclaimed    Mrs. 


HABRT  Walton's  motto.  225 

"Walton.  "Well,  of  all  things!  AYhat  does  the 
boy  know  about  magic?" 

"  It's  a  bully  business,"  said  Tom,  enthusiast- 
icall}'.  "  I  onl}^  wish  I  was  in  Harry's  shoes.  I'd 
like  to  travel  round  with  a  magician  first-rate." 

"  You're  too  thick-headed,  Tom,"  said  Mary.  "  It 
takes  one  that's  smart  to  be  a  magician." 

"  Shut  up  !  "  said  Tom.  "  I  guess  I'm  as  smart 
as  you,  any  da}'." 

"  Be  quiet,  both  of  you ! "  said  Mr.  Walton. 
"Now,  Tom,  go  on  with  your  brother's  letter." 

Tom  proceeded :  "I  am  to  take  money  at  the 
door  in  the  different  places  where  the  professor 
gives  his  entertainments.  Besides,  I  am  to  help 
him  arrange  his  apparatus,  and  so  on.  We  are 
going  about  in  the  southern  part  of  the  State,  and 
shall  visit  some  towns  in  Massachusetts,  the  pro- 
fessor says.  You  know  I've  never  been  round 
any,  and  I  shall  like  travelling  and  seeing  new 
places.  Professor  Henderson  is  very  kind,  and  I 
think  I  shall  like  him.  He  pa^^s  my  travelling  ex- 
penses, and  five  dollars  a  week,  which  is  nearly 
twice  as  much  money  as  I  got  from  Mr.  Leavitt. 


22G  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

I  can't  help  thinking  I  am  luck}'  in  getting  so  good 
a  chance  only  a  day  after  I  lost  my  place  in  the  shoe- 
shop.  I  hope,  yet,  to  be  able  to  pay  for  the  cow 
when  the  money  comes  due.     Love  to  all  at  home. 

"Harry. 
"  P.S.     You  may  direct  3' our  next  letter  to  me  at 
Concord,  as  we  shall  be  there  in  a  few  daj'S.     I  will 
write  as  often  as  I  get  a  chance,  and  let  you  know 
how  I  am  getting  along." 

"  Harry's  lucky,"  said  Mary.  "  He  can  get 
along." 

"  He  is  fortunate  to  find  emplo3^ment  at  once," 
said  his  father ;  "  though  of  course  something 
which  he  can  follow  steadily  is  better.  But  the 
pay  is  good,   and  I  am  glad  he  has  got  it." 

"How  long  it  seems  since  Harry  was  at  home," 
Baid  his  mother.     "  I  wish  I  could  see  him." 

"  Yes,  it  would  be  pleasant,"  said  Mr.  "Walton ; 
"but  the  boy  has  his  own  way  to  make,  so  we  will 
oe  tliankful  that  he  is  succeeding  so  well." 

Tom  reported  to  his  boy  companions  that  Harry 
was  travelling  with  a  magician,  and  so  excited  their 


HARRY  WALTOyr'S  MOTTO.  227 

envy  and  admiration.  To  boys  in  a  quiet,  not  to 
say  dull,  country  village,  it  seemed  a  dazzling  pro- 
motion, and  they  began  to  think  of  Harry  with  in- 
creased respect,  as  the  confidential  assistant  of  the 
celebrated  Professor  Henderson,  of  whose  marvel- 
lous tricks  they  had  often  heard,  though,  as  yet,  he 
had  never  visited  then-  village. 


228  BOUND  TO  rise;  on, 


CHAPTER    XXV. 


A  LITTLE   MTSTIFICATION. 


At  ten  o'clock  the  next  day,  after  Ms  first  appear- 
ance as  Professor  Henderson's  agent,  Harry  pre- 
sented himself  at  the  hotel.  He  carried  in  his  hand 
a  carpet-bag  lent  him  by  IMr.  Leavitt,  which  con- 
tained his  small  stock  of  underclothing.  His  out- 
side suits  he  left  at  Mr.  Leavitt's,  not  wishing  to 
be  incumbered  with  them  while  travelling. 

"  I  see  you  are  on  time,"  said  the  professor. 

"  Yes,  sir  ;  I  always  mean  to  be." 

"  That's  well ;  now  if  3'ou'll  jump  into  my  buggy 
with  me,  we  will  ride  round  to  the  Town  Hall,  and 
take  in  my  apparatus.  I  have  to  keep  a  carriage," 
said  the  magician,  as  they  rode  along.  "  It  saves 
me  a  great  deal  of  trouble  by  making  me  independ- 
ent of  cars  and  stages.  As  a  general  thing,  the 
places  at  which  I  give  entertainments  are  near  to- 
gether, and  my  horse  answers  my  pm'pose." 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  229 

They  drew  up  in  front  of  the  Town  Ilall,  and  in  a 
short  time  tlie  apparatus  was  transferred  to  a  trunk 
in  the  back  part  of  the  buggj-,  and  securely  locked. 

"  Now  we  are  all  ready,"  said  Professor  Hender- 
son.    "  Would  you  like  to  drive  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,"  answered  Harry,  with  alacrity.  He 
shared  the  taste  which  most  boys  possess  for  driv- 
ing, and  though  his  father  had  never  owned  one,  he 
had  had  opportunities  of  driving  the  horses  of 
others.  Accordingly  he  acquitted  himself  with 
credit. 

"  I  am  going  to  give  an  entertainment  in  Holston 
this  evening,"  said  his  new  employer.  ""Were  you 
ever  there  ?  " 

"  No,  sir." 

"  It  is  a  smart  little  place,  and  although  the  popu- 
lation is  not  large,  I  always  draw  a  full  house." 

"  How  far  is  it,  sir  ?  " 

"  About  six  miles." 

Harry  was  sorry  it  was  not  farther,  as  he  enjo3'^ed 
driving.  His  companion  leaned  back  at  his  ease, 
and  talked  socially  on  various  subjects.  He 
paused    a    moment,    and    Harry    was    startled    by 


230  BOUND  TO  rise;  oil, 

hearing  a  stifled  child's  voice  just  behind  him. 
"  Oh,  let  me  out !  Don't  keep  me  locked  up 
here !  " 

The  reins  nearly  fell  from  his  hands.  He  turned, 
and  heard  the  voice  apparently  proceeding  from 
the  trunk. 

"What's  the  matter?"  asked  Professor  Hender- 
son, soberly. 

"  I  thought  I  heard  a  child's  voice." 

"  So  you  did,"  said  the  voice  again. 

The  truth  flashed  upon  Harry.  His  companion 
was  exerting  some  of  his  powers  ^s  a  ventrilo- 
quist. 

"  Oh,  it  is  you,  sir  !  "  he  said,  smiling. 

His  companion  smiled. 

"  You  are  right,"  he  said. 

"  I  don't  see  how  you  can  do  it,"  said  Harry,  in 
admiration.     "It  was  perfectly  natural." 

"  Practice,  my  boy." 

"But  practice  wouldn't  make  everybody  a  ven- 
triloquist, would  it?" 

"  Most  persons  might  become  ventriloquists, 
though  in  an  unequal  degree.     I  often  amuse  myself 


nARRY  Walton's  motto.  231 

by  making  use  of  it  for  playing  practical  jokes 
upon  people.  Where  I  am  not  known,  my  success  is 
perfect.     "Would  ^-ou  like  an  illustration  of  it  ?  " 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Do  5'ou  see  that  old  lady  ahead?-" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"I'll  offer  her  a  ride.  If  she  accepts,  you'll  see 
sport.  I  shall  make  you  talk,  but  yo\x  must  be  care- 
ful to  sa}^  nothing  yourself." 

"  All  right,  sir." 

A  few  rods  farther  on,  they  overtook  an  old 
woman,  who  was  plodding  along  slowly. 

"  Stop  the  horse,  Harry." 

He  did  so. 

"  Good-morning,  ma'am,"  said  the  professor. 
"Won't  you  get  in,  and  ride?  It's  easier  riding 
than  walking." 

The  old  woman  scanned  his  countenance,  and 
being  favorably  impressed  by  his  appearance  of 
thorough  respectability,  answered,  "Thank  you, 
sir,  I'm  obleeged  to  ye.     I  don't  mind  if  I  do." 

She  was  assisted  into  the  carriage,  and  sat  at  one 
end  of  the  seat,  Harry  being  in  the  middle. 


232  BOUND  TO  htse;  or, 

"I  was  goin'  to  see  my  darter  Nancy,"  said  the 
old  woman,  who  proved  to  be  quite  talkative. 
"  Mrs.  Nehemiah  Babcock  her  name  is.  Mebbe 
you  know  her  husband." 

"  I  don't  think  I  do,"  said  the  professor. 

"  He's  got  a  brother  in  Boston  in  the  dry  goods 
business.     Mebbe  j'ou've  been  at  his  store." 

"  Mebbe  I  have." 

"I  ginerall}^  call  to  see  my  darter  —  her  name  is 
Nancy  —  once  a  week  ;  but  it's  rather  hard  for  me  to 
walk,  now  I'm  gettin'  on  in  years." 

"You're  most  eighty,  aint  j^ou?"  appeared  to 
proceed  from  Harry's  mouth.  Our  hero's  face 
twitched,  and  he  had  hard  work  to  keep  from 
laughing. 

"  Indeed,  I'm  not !  "  said  the  old  lady,  indignantly^ 
"I'm  only  sixtj^-seven,  and  folks  say  I  don't  look 
more'n  sixty.  Eighty,  indeed!"  and  the  old  lady 
looked  angrily  at  Harry. 

"You  must  excuse  him,  ma'am,"  said  the  pro- 
fessor, soothingly.  "He  is  no  judge  of  a  lady's 
age." 

"  I    should    think    not,    indeed.     "WTiat    will  my 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  233 

Nancy  say  to  thiiilc  her  ma'am  has  "been  took  for 
eighty  ?  " 

"  Indeed,  madam,  you  ai-e  very  young  looking  of 
j^our  age." 

The  old  lady  was  pacified  by  this  compliment ;  but 
looked  askance  at  Harry. 

"Is  he  your  son?" 

"  No,  ma'am," 

The  old  lady  sniffed,  as  if  to  say,  "  So  much  the 
better  for  you." 

"Are  you  travellin'  far?"  asked  the  old  lady,  be- 
coming inquisitive. 

"What, do  3^ou  want  to  know  for?"  Harry  ap- 
peared to  ask. 

"  You're  a  sassy  boy ! "  exclaimed  the  old  woman, 
indignantly. 

"  Harrj',"  said  Professor  Henderson,  gravely, 
"  how  often  have  I  told  you  not  to  be  so  unman- 
nerly." 

"  He  orter  be  w'ipped,"  said  the  old  lady,  in  an 
excited  manner.  "Ef  I  had  a  boy  that  was  so 
sassy,  I'd  larn  him  manners ! "  and  she  shook  hei 
head  violently. 


234  BOUND  TO  hise;  or, 

"  I'm  glad  I  aint  your  boy,"  Harry  appeared  to 
reply. 

"  I  declare  I  won't  ride  another  step  if  yo\x  let 
him  insult  me  so,"  said  the  old  woman,  glaring  at 
our  hero. 

Professor  Henderson  caught  her  ej^e,  and  signifi- 
cantly touched  his  forehead,  giving  her  to  under- 
stand that  Harry  was  only  "half-witted." 

"  You  don't  say  so ! "  she  ejaculated,  taking  the 
hint  at  once.     "How  long's  he  been  so?" 

"  Ever  since  he  was  born." 

"Aint  you  afraid  to  have  him  drive?"  demanded 
the  old  lady,  beginning  to  be  alarmed. 

"  Oh,  not  at  all.  He  understands  horses  as  well 
as  I  do." 

"  Well,  I  declare !  Did  you  say  he  wasn't  your 
son?" 

"  No,  ma'am." 

"What's  his  name?" 

Before  the  professor's  answer  could  be  heard, 
Harry  appeared  to  rattle  off  the  following  extraor- 
dinary name  :  "  George  Washington  Hany  Jeffer- 
son Ebenezer  Popkins." 


HARRY  WALTON^ S  MOTTO.  235 

"  My  gracious !  Has  lie  got  all  them  names  ? " 
asked  the  astonished  listener. 

"Why  not?  What  have  you  got  to  say  about  it, 
old  woman?"  said  the  same  voice. 

"  Oh,  I  aint  got  no  objection,"  said  the  old  woman, 
soothingly.  "You  may  have  fifty-'leven  names  ef 
you  want  to." 

"  I  don't  interfere  with  his  names,"  said  the  pro- 
fessor. "Names  are  cheap,  you  know,  and  if  he 
chooses  to  call  himself — " 

"  George  Washington  Harry  Jefferson  Ebenezer 
Popkins,"  repeated  the  voice,  with  great  volu- 
bility. 

"  If  he  chooses  to  call  himself  by  all  those  names, 
I'm  sure  I  don't  care.     How  far  do  you  go,  ma'am?" 

"  About  quarter  of  a  mile  further.  Jest  where 
you  see  them  bars." 

The  professor  saw  that  he  must  proceed  to  his  final 
joke. 

"  Let  me  out !  Don't  keep  me  locked  up  here  ! " 
said  the  child's  voice,  from  behind,  in  a  pleading 
tone. 

"What's  that?"  asked  the  startled  old  lady. 


236  Bouxn  TO  nisE ;  on, 

"What's  what?"  asked  the  professor,  innocently. 

"  That  child  that  wants  to  get  out." 

"  You  must  have  dreanaed  it,  my  good  lady." 

"  No,  there  'tis  ag'in,"  said  the  old  ladj^,  excited. 
"  I  hear  it  just  as  plain.     She  saj's  she's  locked  up." 

"It's  in  the  trunk  behind  you,"  said  the  assumed 
voice,  appearing  to  proceed  from  our  hero. 

"  So  'tis,"  said  the  old  lady,  turning  half-way 
round. 

"Oh,  I  shall  die!  Let  me  out!  Let  me  out!" 
entreated  the  voice  within  the  trunk. 

"  He's  locked  up  his  little  girl  in  the  trunk,"  Harry 
seemed  to  say. 

"  You  wicked  man,  let  her  out  this  minute,"  said 
the  old  lad}',  very  much  excited.  "  Don't  you  know 
no  better  than  to  lock  up  a  child  in  the  trunk  where 
she  can't  get  no  air  ?  " 

"  There  is  no  child  in  the  trunk,  I  assure  you," 
said  Professor  Henderson,  politely. 

"  Don't  you  believe  him,"  said  Harr^-'s  voice. 

"  Do  let  me  out,  father ! "  implored  the  child's 
voice,  growing  fainter. 


nAsnr  walton^s  motto.  237 

"  If  you  don't  open  the  trunk,  I'll  have  you  took 
up  for  murder,"  said  the  old  lady. 

"  I  will  open  it  to  show  you  that  j^ou  are  mistaken, 
madam.     Harry,  stop  the  horse." 

The  professor  got  over  the  seat,  and,  opening  the 
trunk,  displayed  its  contents  to  the  astonished  old 
lady. 

"  I  told  3'Ou  that  there  was  no  child  there,"  he 
said  ;  "  but  you  would  not  believe  me." 

"  Le'  me  out,"  gasped  the  old  woman.  "  I'd 
rather  walk.  I  never  heerd  of  such  strange  gein's 
on  afore.     Le'  me  out,  I  say." 

"If  you  insist  upon  it,  madam,  but  I'm  sorry  to 
lose  3'our  companj^  Take  this  with  you,  and  read  it 
when  you  are  at  leisure." 

He  handed  her  one  of  his  bills,  which  she  put  in 
her  pocket,  saying  she  couldn't  see  to  read  it  without 
her  specs. 

When  they  were  far  enough  oif  to  make  it  safe, 
Harry  gave  vent  to  his  mirth,  which  he  had  re- 
strained till  this  time  with  great  difficulty,  and 
laughed  long  and  loud. 


238 


BOUND    TO  rise;    07}, 


CHAPTER    XXVI 


THE   PKOFESSOR  S   STORY. 


"What  will  the  old  lady  think  of  j'^ou?"  said 
Harry,  when  he  had  got  over  laughing. 

"  She  will  have  a  verj^  bad  opinion  till  she  puts 
on  her  specs,  and  reads  the  bill.  That  will  explain 
all.  I  shouldn't  be  surprised  to  see  her  at  my  enter- 
tainment to-night." 

"  I  wonder  if  she'll  recognize  me,"  said  Harry. 

"  No  doubt ;  as  soon  as  slie  learns  with  whom  she 
Yode,  she'll  be  ver}^  curious  to  come  and  see  me  per- 
form, as  well  as  her  familj'.  So  my  trick  will  proba- 
bly pay,  after  all ; "  and  the  professor  smiled. 

"  How  old  were  you  when  you  began  to  be  a  ven- 
triloquist ?  " 

"  I  was  eighteen,  I  accidentally  made  the  dis- 
covery, and  devoted  considerable  time  to  perfecting 
myself  in  it  before  acquainting  any  one  with  it.  I 
was  then  a  clerk  in  a  country  store,  and  never  imag- 


HARRY   WALTON^ S  MOTTO.  239 

ined  that  I  should  give  public  entertainments,  and  so 
make  it  a  source  of  profit.  That  idea  came  later. 
You  see  when  I  was  twenty-one,  with  a  little 
property  which  I  inherited  from  my  uncle,  I  went 
into  business  for  mj^self ;  but  I  was  young  and  inex- 
perienced in  management,  and  the  consequence  was, 
that  in  about  two  years  I  failed.  I  found  it  difficult 
to  get  employment  as  a  clerk,  business  being  very 
dull  at  the  time.  While  uncertain  what  to  do,  one 
of  my  friends,  to  whom  I  had  communicated  my 
power,  induced  me  to  give  a  public  entertainment, 
combining  with  it  a  few  tricks  of  magic,  which  I  had 
been  able  to  pick  up  from  books.  I  succeeded  so 
well,  that  nxj  vocation  in  life  became  fixed.  From 
that  time  I  have  been  Professor  Henderson." 

"It  must  be  great  fun  to  be  a  ventriloquist,"  said 
Harry. 

"  So  I  regarded  it  at  first.  Now  I  look  upon  it 
from  a  business  point  of  view." 

"  Do  you  think  I  could  learn?" 

"  Probably.  Some  day,  when  I  am  at  leisure,  I 
will  give  you  some  directions.  It  may  not  be  a 
very  high  vocation,  but  I  make  the  people  laugh, 


240  BOUND  TO  nisE;  on, 

and  so  I  regard  myself  as  a  public  benefactor. 
Indeed,  I  was  once  the  means  of  doing  an  essential 
service  to  a  j'oung  man  by  means  of  my  ventrilo- 
quism." 

"  I  should  like  very  much  to  hear  the  story,  if  you 
are  willing  to  tell  me,  sir." 

"  I  will.     It  will  while  away  the  time  till  we  reach 
Holston. 

"  One  day  a  young  man,  a  stranger,  came  to  me, 
and  introduced  himself  under  the  name  of  Paul" 
Dabney.  He  said  that  I  might,  if  I  would,  do  him 
a  great  service.  I  asked  him  to  explain  himself. 
In  reply,  he  told  me  the  following  story.  Ilis 
father  had  died  the  year  previous,  leaving  a  farm 
and  other  property  to  the  value  of  fifteen  thousand 
dollars.  Of  course,  being  an  only  son,  he  expected 
that  this  would  be  left  to  himself,  or,  at  least,  the 
greater  part  of  it.  Conceive  his  surprise,  therefore, 
when  the  will  came  to  be  read,  to  find  that  the  entire 
property  was  left  to  his  Uncle  Jonas,  his  father's 
brother,  who,  for  three  years  past,  had  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  family.  Jonas  had  never  prospered  in 
life,  and  his  brother,  out  of  pity,  had  offered  him 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  241 

an  asylum  on  his  farm,  where  he  worked  a  little  when 
he  felt  like  it.  He  had  formerly  been  a  book-keeper, 
and  was  an  accomplished  penman. 

"  The  will  was  so  extraordinary^,  —  since  Paul  and 
his  father  had  always  been  on  perfectly  good  terms, 
—  that  the  young  man  was  thunderstruck.  His  uncle 
approached  him,  and  expressed  hypocritical  surprise 
at  the  nature  of  the  will. 

"  '  You  surely  do  not  mean  to  keep  my  property. 
Uncle  Jonas,'  said  Paul,  indignantly. 

"  '  It  is  not  3"our  property,  Paul,'  he  answered. 

"  '  It  was  my  father's,  and  should  have  been  mine.' 

"  '  It  was  your  father's  to  do  as  he  pleased  with, 
Paul.' 

"  '  But  is  there  an}'-  justice  in  disinheriting  me?  I 
was  alwaj's  a  good  son.' 

"  'You  should  respect  your  father's  wishes,  Paul,* 
said  his  uncle.  '  If  he  chose  to  leave  the  property 
away  from  you,  it  is  all  right.' 

"  '  Suppose  it  had  been  jonr  father's,  and  j'ou  had 
been  left  penniless  without  any  reason  ? ' 

"  '  I  would  have  submitted  to  it,'  said  his  uncle, 
hjTpocritically. 


242  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

'"I  don't  believe  my  father  made  that  will,*  ex- 
claimed Paul,  angrily. 

"'What  do  you  mean  by  that?'  demanded  the 
uncle,  furiously, 

"  His  anger  make  Paul  think  that  he  had  hit  upon 
the  truth,  particularly  as  his  uncle  was  an  adroit 
penman.  He  carefully  examined  the  will;  but  the 
writing  so  closely  resembled  his  father's,  that  he 
could  see  no  difference.  The  witnesses  were  his 
Uncle  Jonas  and  a  hired  man,  who,  shortly  after 
witnessing  the  signature,  had  been  discharged,  and 
had  disappeared  from  the  neighborhood.  All  this 
excited  Paul's  suspicions. 

"  His  uncle  bffered  him  a  home  on  the  farm ;  but 
positively  refused  to  give  him  any  portion  of  the 
property,  alleging  that  it  was  his  brother's  wish 
that  he  should  have  it,  and  he  was  unwilling  to  act 
contrary  to  his  wishes. 

"  Such  was  the  story  Paul  Dabnej'  related  to  me. 

" '  I  sympathize  with  you,'  I  said  at  the  conclu- 
sion ;  '  but  how  can  I  help  you  ? ' 

" '  I  will  tell  you,  sir,'  he  replied.  '  You  must 
know  that  my  Uncle  Jonas  is  very  superstitious.    I 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  243 

mean,  through  your  help,  to  play  upon  his  fears,  and 
thus  induce  him  to  give  up  the  property  to  me.' 

"  With  this  he  unfolded  his  plan,  and  I  agreed  to 
help  him.  His  uncle  lived  ten  miles  distant.  I  pro- 
cured a  laborer's  disguise,  and  the  morning  after,  — 
Paul  having  previously  gone  back,  —  I  entered  the 
yard  of  the  farm-house.  The  old  man  was  standing 
outside,  smoking  a  pipe. 

"  '  Can  you  give  me  work? '  I  asked. 

" '  What  kind  of  work?'  inquired  Jonas. 

"  '  Farm  work,'  I  answered. 

"  He  had  just  discharged  his  hired  man,  because 
he  asked  too  much  pay,  and  it  was  the  knowledge  of 
this  circumstance  that  influenced  me*in  the  plan  I 
had  adopted. 

"  '  We  haven't  much  to  do,'  he  answered. 

"  '  I  won't  ask  much  pay,'  said  I. 

"  Upon  this  he  became  attentive. 

"  '  How  much  do  you  want? ' 

"  '  Eight  dollars  a  month.' 

"  '  I'll  give  you  six,'  he  said. 

"  '  That's  too  little.' 

"  '  It's  the  most  I'll  give  you.' 


244  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

"  '  Then  I'll  take  it,'  I  replied,  and  was  at  once 
engaged. 

"  Delighted  to  get  me  so  cheap,  the  sordid  old  man 
asked  me  no  troublesome  questions.  I  knew  enough 
of  farm-work  to  get  along  pretty  well,  and  not  be- 
tray myself. 

"  That  night  I  concealed  myself  in  the  old  man's 
apartment  without  suspicions,  Paul  helping  me. 
After  he  had  been  in  bed  about  twentj'-  minutes,  I 
thought  it  time  to  begin.  Accordingly  I  uttered 
a  hollow  groan. 

"  '  Eh  !  what's  that?'  cried  the  old  man,  rising  in 
bed. 

"  '  I  am  the  spirit  of  your  dead  brother,'  I  an- 
swered, throwing  my  voice  near  the  bed. 

'"What  do  you  want?'  he  asked,  his  teeth  chat- 
tering. 

"  '  You  have  cheated  Paul  out  of  his  property,'  I 
answered,  in  the  same  ghostly  accents. 

"  '  Forgive  me  ! '  he  cried,  terror-stricken. 

"  '  Then  give  him  back  the  property.'      • 

"  '  The  whole?'  he  groaned. 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  245 

"  '  Yes,  the  whole.  He  will  provide  for  you  better 
ttiun  jovi  have  provided  for  hira.' 

"  '  Ai'B  —  are  3'ou  reall}^  my  brother  ? ' 

"  '  I  will  give  you  this  proof.  Unless  you.  do  as  I 
order  you,  in  three  daj's  3'ou  will  be  with  me.' 

"  'What,  dead?'  he  said,  shuddering. 

" '  Yes,'  I  answered,  in  as  sepulchral  a  tone  as 
possible. 

"  '  Are  —  are  you  sure  of  it? ' 

"• '  If  3'ou  doubt  it,  disobey  me.  You  must  die, 
then,  and  the  property  will  be  Paul's,  at  any  rate.' 

"  '  I'll  do  it,  but  —  don't  come  again.' 

"  '  Be  sure  you  do  it,  then.' 

"  I  ceased  to  speak,  being  tired,  and  escaped  as 
soon  as  I  could.  But  the  battle  was  not  yet  over. 
The  next  da}'  gave  Jonas  courage.  Afternoon  came, 
and  he  had  done  nothing.  He  was  with  me  in  the 
field  when  I  threw  a  hollow  voice,  which  seemed  to 
be  close  to  his  ear.  I  said,  '  Obey,  or  in  three  days 
3-0U  die.' 

"  He  turned  pale  as  a  sheet,  and  asked  me  if  I 
heard  anything.  I  expressed  surprise,  and  this  con- 
firmed him  in  his  belief  of  the  ghostly  visitation. 


246  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

He  went  to  the  house,  sent  for  a  lawyer,  and  trans- 
ferred the  entire  property  to  his  nephew.  The  latter 
made  him  a  present  of  a  thousand  dollars,  and  so 
the  affair  ended  happily.  I  will  only  add  that  Paul 
paid  me  handsomely  for  my  share  in  the  trick,  and 
the  next  day  I  made  an  excuse  for  leaving  the  farm." 

"  Did  the  old  man  ever  discover  your  agency  in 
the  affair.  Professor  Henderson  ?  " 

"  Never.  He  is  dead  now,  and  my  friend  Paul  is 
happily  married,  and  has  a  fine  farail3^  His  oldest 
boy  is  named  after  me.  But  here  we  are  in 
Holston." 


HARRY  WALTON'S  MOTTO.  247 


CHAPTER    XXVII. 


MAGIC. 


The  people  of  Hoiston  turned  out  in  large  num- 
bers to  see  the  tricks  of  the  gi-eat  conjurer.  Among 
the  first  to  appear,  was  the  old  lady  whom  the  pro- 
fessor had  taken  up  on  his  way  over.  She  was 
accompanied  by  her  daughter  and  a  grandson. 

"  You're  the  boy  that  was  so  sassy  to  me  this 
mornin',"  she  said,  peering  at  Harry  through  her 
spectacles. 

"  I  didn't  say  a  word  to  you,"  said  Harry. 

"  Tm  afraid  you're  tellin'  fibs.  I  heerd  you  plain 
enough." 

"  It  was  the  professor.  H*  put  the  words  in  my 
mouth." 

"  You  don't  say  !     I  can't  hardly  believe  it." 

"  It's  true,  ma'am." 

"  Well,  come  to  think  on't,  the  voice  was  different 


248  BOUND  TO  hise;  as, 

from  3'ours.  Then  there  wa'n't  nobody  in  the 
trunk." 

"No,  ma'am,"  said  Harry,  smiling. 

"It's  wonderful,  I  declare  for't.  This  is  my 
darter,  Mi'S.  Neheraiah  Babcock,"  continued  the  old 
lady. 

Harry  bowed. 

"  Nancy,  this  is  the  ventriloquer's  boy.  I  thought 
he  was  sassy  to  me  this  mornin' ;  but  he  says  he 
didn't  speak  a  word." 

"Are  you  a  magician  too?"  asked  the  bo}'',  with 
curiosfty. 

"  No  ;  I'm  only  an  apprentice,"  said  Harry. 

"  I'd  like  to  learn  the  trade,"  said  Tom.  "  "Would 
he  take  me  ?  " 

"  "Why,  Thomas  Babcock,  how  jon  talk  !  "  said  his 
grandmother.  "  Do  3'ou  think  your  marm  would  let 
you  go  trapesing  round  the  country  with  a  ventrilo- 
quer  and  magician?.  You  know  enough  tricks 
already." 

"  Do  3^ou  think  he'd  take  me?"  persisted  Tom. 

"  I  don't  think  he  needs  any  more  help  just  now." 


HARItT  WALTON^S  MOTTO.  249 

"How  much  is  to  pay?"  said  the  old  lady.  "I 
s'pose  you  won't  charge  full  price  for  Thomas." 

"  I'm  bigger'n  you,  granny,"  said  Tom,  who  felt 
that  to  be  rated  at  half  price  would  be  lowering  to 
his  dignity  as  a  good-sized  boy. 

"I  won't  charge  you  anything,"  said  Harr}'. 
"Professor  Henderson  told  me,  if  you  came,  to  let 
you  in  free,  and  any  of  3'our  familj'." 

"Really,  now,  that's  very  per  lite  of  the  professor," 
said  the  old  lad3^,  very  much  gratified.  "  He's  a 
gentleman  if  there  ever  was  one.  Do  you  hear, 
Nanc}^,  we  can  go  in  without  payin'  a  cent.  'That's 
all  on  account  of  j^our  ma'am's  bein'  acquainted  with 
the  professor.     I'm  glad  I  come." 

The  old  lady  and  her  party  entered  the  hall,  and 
being  early,  secured  good  seats,  which  enabled  them 
to  see  the  tricks  to  advantage.  Tom  was  glad  to  be 
so  near,  as  he  was  ambitious  to  assist  the  professor 
in  case  volunteers  were  called  for. 

"  Will  any  j^oung  gentleman  come  forward  and 
assist  me  in  the  next  trick?"  asked  the  j)erformer, 
after  a  while. 

Tom   started  from  his   seat  with   alacrity.      His 


250  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

grandmother  tried  to  seize  him  by  the  coat,  but  he 
was  too  quick  for  her. 

"Oh,  let  him  go,"  said  his  mother.  "He  won't 
come  to  any  harm." 

"Is  this  your  first  appearance  as  a  magician?" 
asked  the  professor. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  answered  Tom,  with  a  grin. 

"  Very  good.  I  will  get  you  to  help  me,  but  you 
mustn't  tell  anybody  how  the  tricks  are  done." 

"  No,  sir,  I  won't." 

"  As  I  am  going  to  trust  you  with  a  little  money, 
I  want  to  ask  you  whether  you  are  strictly  honest." 

"  Yes,  SU-." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  it.  Do  you  see  this  piece  of 
gold?" 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"What  is  its  value?" 

"Ten  dollars,"  answered  Tom,  inspecting  it. 

"  Very  good.  I  want  you  to  hold  it  for  me  a  little 
while." 

"  AU  right,  sir." 

"You  won't  let  it  go?" 

"  No,  sir." 


HARBT  Walton's  motto.  251 

"  Then  you'll  have  to  hold  it  tight.  I  give  you 
warning  that  I  mean  to  make  it  pass  out  of  yowc 
hand." 

"  I  don't  think  you  can  do  it,  sir." 

"  Well,  perhaps  not.  You  look  like  a  pretty  sharp 
customer.    It  won't  he  easy  to  fool  you." 

"  You  bet." 

"  Nancy,"  whispered  the  old  lady  to  her  daughter, 
"  I  hope  you  don't  allow  Tom  to  talk  so.  Ef  he  was 
my  boy,  I'd  punish  him." 

"  Look,  mother,  see  what  he's  going  to  do,"  said 
Mrs.  Babcock,  who  was  not  as  strict  in  her  notions 
as  her  mother. 

"  What  I  propose  to  do,"  said  the  professor,  "  is 
to  make  that  coin  pass  into  the  box  on  the  table.  I 
may  not  be  able  to  do  it,  as  the  young,  gentleman  is 
on  his  guard.    However,  I  will  try.    Presto,  change  ! " 

"  It  didn't  go,"  said  Tom,  triumphantly.  "  I've 
got  it  here." 

"  Have  you?     Suppose  you  open  your  hand." 

Tom  opened  his  hand. 

"Well,  what  have  you  got?  Is  it  the  gold 
piece?" 


252  BOUND    TO   JIISE;    01?, 

"  No,  sir,"  said  Tom,  astonished  ;  "  it's  a  cent." 

"  Then,  sir,  all  I  can  sa}-  is,  j'ou  have  treated  me 
badly.  In  order  to  prevent  my  getting  the  gold 
piece  into  the  box,  you  changed  it  into  a  cent." 

"  No,  I  didn't,"  said  Tom. 

"  Then  perhaps  I  have  succeeded,  after  all.  The 
fact  is,  I  took  out  the  gold  piece  and  put  a  penny  in 
its  place,  so  that  you  might  not  know  the  difference. 
Now  here  is  the  key  of  that  box.  Will  ^-ou  unlock 
it?" 

Tom  unlocked  it,  onlj^  to  find  another  box  inside. 
In  fact,  it  was  a  perfect  nest  of  boxes.  In  the  very 
last  of  all  was  found  the  gold  coin. 

"  It's  very  strange  you  didn't  feel  it  go  out  of  your 
hand,"  said  the  professor.  "  I  am  afraid  3'ou  are  not 
quick  enough  to  make  a  magician.  I  think  I  will 
ask  3'our  help  in  one  other  experiment.  Can  you 
fire  a  pistol  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,"  said  Torn. 

"  O  Nancy  !  "  whispered  the  old  lady ;  "  who'd  'a* 
thought  that  your  Tom  could  fire  pistols  ?  I  sha'n't 
dare  to  come  to  your  house  if  j'ou  allow  such  things. 
I  was  readin',  a  day  or  two  ago,  of  a  boy  that  shot 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  253 

his  grandmotlier  with  a  pistol  that  he  had.  I  never 
allowed  my  children  to  fire  pistols." 

"  Your  children  were  all  girls,  mother,"  answered 
Nancy. 

"  So  they  were,  and  I'm  glad  of  it.  It's  a  great 
deal  of  trouble  to  bring  up  boys." 

"Will  any  lady  lend  me  a  ring?"  asked  the  pro- 
fessor. 

One  was  soon  found. 

"  I  will  load  the  pistol,"  said  the  professor,  "  and 
put  the  ring  in  with  the  rest  of  the  charge.  It 
appears  to  be  rather  too  large.  I  shall  have  to 
hammer  it  down." 

He  brought  down  a  hammer  heavily  upon  the 
ring,  and  soon  bent  it  sufficiently  to  get  it  into  the 
pistol. 

"  Now,  sir,"  he  said,  "  take  the  pistol,  and  stand 
off  there.  All  right,  sir.  When  I  give  the  word,  I 
want  you  to  fire.    'One,  two,  three  !  " 

Tom  fired,  his  grandmother  uttering  a  half-sup- 
pressed shriek  at  the  report.  When  the  smoke 
cleared  away,  the  professor  was  holding  the  ring 
between  his  thumb  and  finger,  quite  uninjured. 


254  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

'*■  Do  you  think  3'ou  can  do  that,  sir?'* 

"  No,  sir." 

"  If  you  would  like  to  try,  I  will  load  the  pistol 
again,  and  fire  at  you." 

"  No,  sir,  I  would  rather  not." 

"  Very  well,  I  will  excuse  you.  You  may  return 
to  your  seat." 

Professor  Henderson's  attention  had  been  drawn  to 
his  companion  of  the  morning.  He  observed  that 
she  had  taken  off  her  bonnet.  He  went  up  to  her, 
and  said,  politel}'^,  "  Madam,  will  you  kindly  lend 
me  3^our  bonnet?" 

"Massy  sakes,  what  do  j'ou  want  of  it?"  asked 
the  astonished  old  lady. 

"  I  won't  injure  it,  I  assure  you." 

"  You  may  take  it,  ef  you  want  to,"  said  the  old 
lady  ;  "  but  be  kcerful,  and  don't  bend  it." 

"  I  will  be  ver}''  careful ;  but,  madam,"  he  said,  in 
seeming  surprise,  "  what  have  you  got  in  it?" 

"  Nothing,  sir." 

"You  are  mistaken.  See  there,  and  there,  and 
there  ;  "  and  he  rapidly  drew  out  three  onions,  four 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  255 

turnips,  and  a  couple  of  potatoes.  "  Reall}^,  you 
must  have  thought  j'ou  were  going  to  market." 

"  They  aint  mine,"  gasped  the  old  lady,  in  utter 
surprise. 

"  Then  it's  very  strange  how  they  got  into  your 
bonnet.     And  —  let  me   see  —  here's  an  egg,  too." 

"  I  never  see  sich  doin's,"  exclaimed  the  aston- 
ished old  lady,  as  the  bonnet  was  returned  to  her. 

"  Granny,  I  guess  a  hen  made  her  nest  in  your 
bonnet,"  whispered  Tom. 

The  old  lady  shook  her  head  in  helpless  amaze- 
ment. 

The  rest  of  the  entertainment  proved  equally  sat- 
isfactory ;  but  it  will  not  be  worth  while  to  enter  into 
further  details  respecting  it. 


256  BOUND    TO  ItlSE;    OR, 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

LUKE   HARKISON   AGAIN. 

A  WEEK  later,  Harry  reached  a  brisk  manufactur- 
ing place  -which  I  will  call  Centreville.  In  company 
with  his  employer  he  drove  over  from  a  neighboring 
town,  and,  according  to  custom,  put  up  at  the  village 
hotel.  He  assisted  the  professor  during  the  after- 
noon to  get  ready  the  hall  for  his  evening  perform- 
ance, and,  at  half-past  five,  took  his  seat  at  the  sup- 
per-table. It  was  a  long  table,  set  for  twenty  per- 
sons, half  of  the  seats  being  filled  by  permanent 
boarders. 

Just  as  Harry  began  to  eat,  he  lifted  his  eyes,  and 
started  in  surprise  as  he  recognized,  iu  his  opposite 
neighbor,  Luke  Harrison,  whose  abrupt  departure 
without  paying  his  debts  the  reader  will  remember. 
Precisely  at  the  same  moment  Luke  also  looked  up, 
and  the  recognition  was  mutual.  Under  the  circum- 
stances, it  will  not  be  wondered  at  that  our  hero's 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  257 

look  was  not  exactl}^  cordial.  As  for  Luke,  he  was 
disagreeably  startled  at  Harry's  sudden  appearance. 
'Not  knowing  his  connection  with  Professor  Hender- 
son, he  fancied  that  our  hero  was  in  quest  of  him, 
and  not  being  skilled  in  the  law,  felt  a  little  appre- 
hension as  to  what  course  he  might  take.  It  was 
best,  he  concluded,  to  conciliate  him,  and  stave  off 
anything  disagreeable  by  a  cordial  greeting. 

"  How  are  you,  Walton?"  he  said. 

"  I  am  well,"  said  Harry,  coldly. 

"  How  do  you  happen  to  be  in  this  neighbor- 
hood?" 

"  On  business,"  said  Harry,  briefly. 

Luke  jumped  to  the  conclusion  that  the  business 
related  to  him,  and,  conscious  of  wrong-doing,  felt 
disturbed. 

"  I'm  glad  to  see  you,"  he  said.  "  It  seems  pleas- 
ant to  see  an  old  acquaintance,"  —  he  intended  to 
say  "  friend ;  "  but  Harry  did  not  look  friendly, 

"  You  left  us  rather  suddenly-,"  said  Harry.  "  No 
one  knew  where  you  had  gone," 

"Wh}",  yes,"  said  Luke,  hesitating,  "I  had 
reasons.     I'll  tell  3'ou  about  it  after  supper," 


258  BOUND  TO  rise;  on, 

Nothing  further  was  exchanged  till  supper  was 
over.  As  Harrj'-  rose  from  the  table,  Luke  rose 
also,  and  joined  him. 

"  Come  upstairs  to  my  room,  Walton,"  he  said, 
"and  have  a  cigar." 

"  I'll  go  upstairs  with  j'ou  ;  but  I  don't  smoke." 

"You'd  better  learn.  It's  a  great  comfort  when 
you're  alone." 

"  Do  you  board  here  ?  " 

"  Yes.  I  found  I  shouldn't  have  to  pay  any  more 
than  at  a  boarding-house,  and  the  grub's  better. 
Plere's  my  room.     Walk  in." 

He  led  the  way  into  a  small  apartment  on  the  top 
floor. 

"  This  is  my  den,"  he  said.  "  There  isn't  but  one 
chair ;  but  I'll  sit  on  the  bed.  When  did  you  reach 
town?" 

"About  noon." 

"Are  3'ou  going  to  stop  long?"  asked  Luke,  a 
little  awkwardly,  still  under  the  impression  that 
narr3^'s  visit  was  connected  with  himself. 

"I  shall  stay  here  till  I  get  through  with  my 
errand,"    answered    Harry,  shrewdly ;    for    he  saw 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  259 

what  Luke  thought,  and  it  occurred  to  him  that  he 
might  turn  it  to  advantage. 

Lulve  looked  a  little  uneasy. 

"By  the  waj-,  Walton,"  he  said,  "  I  believe  I  owe 
you  a  little  money." 

"Yes  ;  I  believe  so." 

"  I'm  sorry  I  can't  pay  you  the  whole  of  it.  It 
costs  considerable  to  live,  you  know ;  but  I'll  pay 
part." 

He  drew  out  his  pocket-book,  and  extracted  there- 
from a  five-dollar  bill." 

"  Here  are  five  dollars,"  he  said.  "  I'll  pay  you 
the  rest  as  soon  as  I  can,  —  in  a  week  or  two." 

Harry  took  the  bank-note  with  secret  self-congratu- 
lation, for  he  had  given  up  the  debt  as  bad,  and 
never  expected  to  realize  a  cent  of  it.  Even  if  he 
got  no  more,  five  dollars  was  well  worth  recover- 
ing. 

"  I  am  glad  to  get  it,"  he  said.  "  I  have  a  use  for 
all  my  money.     Are  you  working  in  this  town  ?  " 

"  Yes.  The  shoe  business  is  carried  on  here  con- 
siderably.    Ai-e  3"ou  still  working  for  Mr.  Leavitt  ? " 

"No;  I've  left  him." 


260  BOUKD  TO  niSE;  on, 

"  You  have  ?    How  is  that  ?  " 

"  Trade  is  dull,  and  his  shop  is  shut  till  it  revives." 

"  Then  you  aint  workin'  now? " 

"  Not  on  shoes." 

"  What  are  you  doing,  then?" 

"  I'm  travelling  with  Professor  Henderson." 

"  What,  the  magician  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"And  is  that  what  brought  you  to  Centreville?" 
asked  Luke,  quickly. 

"  Yes." 

Luke  whistled. 

"I  thought,"  —  he  began.        ■   -  , 

"What  did  you  think?" 

Harry  knew  well  enough ;  but  he  wanted  to  see 
what  Luke  would  say. 

"I  thought,"  answered  Luke,  evasively,  "that 
you  might  be  looking  for  work  in  some  of  the  shoe- 
shops  here." 

"  Is  there  any  chance,  do  you  think  ?  " 

"  No,  I  don't  think  there  is,"  said  Luke,  hastily ; 
for  he  was  by  no  means  anxious  to  have  Ilarrj^  in  the 
same  town. 


HAIiRY  WALTON^ S  MOTTO.  261 

"  Then  I  shall  probably  stay  with  the  professor  for 
the  present." 

"What  do  you  do?" 

"  Take  tickets  at  the  door,  and  help  him  before- 
hand with  his  apparatus." 

"You'll  let  me  in  free,  to-night,  won't  you?" 

"  That  isn't  for  me  to  decide.  It  isn't  my  enter- 
tainment." 

"I  should  think  the  professor  would  let  your 
friends  go  in  free." 

Harry  smiled. 

"  I'll  make  j^ou  an  offer,  Luke,"  said  he. 

"What  is  it?"     • 

"  Just  pay  me  the  rest  of  that  money  to-night,  and 
I'll  let  3"0u  in  free  at  my  own  expense." 

"  I  can't  do  it.  I  haven't  got  the  money.  In  fact, 
I  paid  you  more  than  I  could  afford.  If  you'll  give 
it  back,  I'll  call  it  a  dollar  more,  and  pay  you  the 
whole  at  the  end  of  next  week." 

"I'm  afraid  your  calling  it  a  dollar  more  wouldn't 
do  much  good,"  said  Harry,  shrewdly. 

"Do  you  doubt  my  word?"  blustered  Luke,  who 
had  regained  courage  now  that  he  had  ascertained 


2G2  BOUND  TO  rise;  ob^ 

the  real  object  of  Harry's  visit,  and  that  it  had  no 
connection  with  him. 

"I  won't  express  any  opinion  on  that  subject," 
answered  Hany  ;  "  but  there's  an  old  sajdng,  that '  a 
bird  in  the  hand's  worth  two  in  the  bush.' " 

"  I  hate  old  sa^-ings." 

"  Some  of  them  contain  a  great  deal  of  truth,  for 
all  that." 

"  What  a  fool  I  was  to  pay  him  that  five  dollars  ! " 
thought  Luke,  regretfullj'.  "  If  I  hadn't  been  such  a 
simpleton,  I  should  have  found  out  what  brought 
him  here,  before   throwing  away  nearly  all  I  had." 

This  was  the  view  Luke  took  of  paying  his  debts. 
He  regarded  it  as  money  thrown  away.  Apparently, 
a  good  many  3'oung  men  are  of  a  similar  opinion. 
This  was  not,  however,  according  to  Harry's  code, 
and  was  never  likely  to  be.  He  believed  in  honesty 
and  integrity.  If  he  hadn't,  I  should  feel  far  less 
confidence  in  his  ultimate  success. 

"  I  think  I  must  leave  you,"  said  Harr}',  rising. 
"  The  professor  may  need  me." 

"  Do  you  like  him?  Have  you  got  a  good  place?" 
inquired  Luke. 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  2G3 

"  Yes,  I  like  him.    He  is  a  very  pleasant  man." 

"  How  does  it-pay?  " 

"  Pretty  well." 

"  Does  he  pay  you  as  much  as  Leavitt  did?" 

"  Rather  more." 

"  I  wouldn't  mind  trying  it  myself.  Do  you 
handle  all  the  money?" 

"  I  take  the  money  at  the  door." 

"  I  suppose  3^ou  might  keep  back  a  dollar  or  so, 
everj'  night,  and  he'd  never  know  the  difference." 

"  I  don't  know.  I  never  thought  about  that,"  said 
Harry,  dryly. 

"  Oh,  I  remember,  you're  one  of  the  pious  boj's," 
sneered  Luke. 

"  I'm  too  pious  to  take  money  that  doesn't  belong 
to  me,  if  that's  what  jom  mean,"  said  Harry. 

This  was  a  very  innocent,  and,  under  the  circum- 
stances, a  ver}'  natural  remark ;  but  Luke,  remem- 
bering how  he  had  kept  Harry's  pocket-book,  chose 
to  interpret  it  as  a  fling  to  himself. 

"Do  you  mean  that  for  me?"  he  demanded, 
angrily. 


264  BOUND  TO  rise;  or^ 

"  Mean  what  for  you?  " 

"  That  about  keeping  other  people's  money,"  blus- 
tered Luke.      .     , 

"  I  wasn't  talking  about  you  at  all.  I  was  talking 
about  myself." 

"  You'd  better  not  insult  me,"  said  Luke,  still 
suspicious. 

"  I'm  not  in  the  habit  of  insulting  anybody,"  said 
Harry,  quite  composedly. 

"  I  don't  believe  in  people  that  set  themselves  up 
to  be  so  much  better  than  everybody  else." 

"Do  you  mean  that  for  me?"  asked  Harry, 
smiling. 

"  Yes,  I  do.  "What  are  you  going  to  do  about 
it?" 

"  Nothing,"  said  Harry,  quietly,  "  except  to  deny 
that  I  make  any  such  claims.  Shall  you  come  round 
to  the  hall,  to-night?" 

"  Perhaps  so." 

"  Then  I  shall  see  you.     I  must  be  going  now." 

He  went  out,  leaving  Luke  vainly  deploring  the 
loss  of  the  five  dollars  which  he  had  so  foolishly 


HARUY  Walton's  motto.  2G5 

squandered  in  paying  liis  debt.  However,  the  pros- 
pect of  getting  it  back  did  not  seem  very  good,  and 
he  resigned  himself  ■^ith  an  ill  grace  to  what  was 
inevitable. 


266  BOUND  TO  rise;  on. 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 

A   NEW   ENGAGEMENT. 

"Haert,"  said  the  professor,  after  breakfast  the 
next  morning,  "  I  find  we  must  get  some  more  bills 
printed.  You  may  go  round  to  the  office  of  the 
'  Centreville  Gazette,'  and  ask  them  how  soon  they 
can  print  me  a  hundred  large  bills,  and  a  thousand 
small  ones." 

"All  right,  sir.  Suppose  they  can't  have  them 
done  by  the  time  we  are  readj^  to  start  ?  " 

"  They  can  send  them  to  me  by  express,  to  the 
next  j)lace." 

"Very  well,  sir." 

Harry  was  rather  glad  to  do  this  errand.  He  had 
never  been  into  a  printing-office  ;  but  he  had  a  great 
curiosity  to  do  so  ever  since  he  had  read  the  "  Life 
of  Benjamin  Franklin."  If  there  was  any  one  in 
whose  steps  he  thought  he  should  like  to  follow,  it 
was  Franldin,  and  Franklin  was  a  printer. 


HARRY  Walton's  3iotto.  2G7 

He  had  no  difficulty  in  finding  the  office.     It  was 

in  the  second  story  of  a  building,  just  at  the  June 

tion  of  two  roads  near  the  centre  of  the  town,  the 

post-office  being  just  underneath.      He  ascended  a 

stau'case,  and  saw  on  the  door,  at  the  head  of  the 

stairs, 

"CENTEEVILLE    GAZETTE." 

He  opened  the  door  and  entered.  He  saw  a  large 
room,  containing  a  press  at  one  end,  while  two  young 
men,  with  paper  caps  on  their  heads,  were  standing 
in  their  shirt-sleeves  at  upright  cases  setting  type. 
On  one  side  there  was  a  very  small  office  partitioned 
off.  Within,  a  man  was  seen  seated  at  a  desk,  with  a 
pile  of  exchange  papers  on  the  floor,  writing  busily. 
This  was  Mr.  Jotham  Anderson,  publisher  and  editor 
of  the  "  Gazette,"  and  foreman  of  the  printing- 
office. 

"  I  want  to  get  some  printing  done,"  said  Harry,. 
looking  towards  the  journeymen. 

"  Go  to  Mr.  Anderson,"  said  one,  pointing  to  the 
office. 

Harry  went  in.  The  editor  looked  up  as  he 
entered  the  office. 


2G8  BOUND  TO  hise;  or, 

"What  can  I  do  for  you?"  lie  asked,  pausing  in 
his  writing. 

"  I  want  to  get  some  printing  done." 

"  For  youi-self  ?  " 

"  No  ;  for  Professor  Henderson." 

"  I've  done  jobs  for  him  before.  What  does  he 
.want  ?  " 

Our  hero  explained. 

"  Very  well,  we  will  do  it." 

"  Can  3"ou  have  it  done  before  two  o'clock?  " 

"  Impossible.  I  am  just  bringing  out  my  paper. 
It  is  published  to-morrow." 

"When  can  jom  have  the  job  finished?" 

"  To-morrow  noon." 

"  I  suppose  that  will  do.  We  perform  to-morrow 
at  Berlin,  and  they  can  be  sent  over  to  the  hotel 
there." 

"  You  say  '  we,' "  commented  the  editor,  slightly 
smiling.  "Are  you  and  Professor  Henderson  busi- 
ness partners  ?  " 

"  Not  exactly,"  answered  Harry,  amused.  "  I 
take  tickets,  and  assist  him  generally." 

"  Sow  do  you  like  the  business  ?  " 


HAMRT  Walton's  motto.  269 

"Very  well;  but  I  should  like  your  business 
better." 

"What,  printing?" 

"  Yes." 

"  What  makes  you  think  so  ?  " 

"  I  have  been  reading  the  '  Life  of  Benjamin 
Franklin.'     He  was  a  printer." 

"  That's  true ;  but  I  am  sorry  to  say  Franklins 
are  scarce  in  our  printing-offices.  I  never  met  one 
yet." 

"  I  shouldn't  expect  to  turn  out  a  Franklin  ;  but  I 
think  one  couldn't  help  being  improved  by  following 
the  business." 

"  True  again,  though  of  course  it  depends  on  the 
wish  to  improve.  How  long  have  you  been  working 
for  Professor  Henderson  ?  " 

"  Not  long.     Only  two  or  three  weeks." 

"  What  did  you  do  before ;  or  was  that  your  first 
situation  ?  " 

"  I  was  pegger  in  a  shoe-shop." 

"Didn't  you  like  it?" 

"  Well  enough,  for  I  needed  to  earn  money,  and  it 
paid  me ;  but  I  don't  think  I  should  like  to  be  a 


270  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

shoemaker  all  my  life.  It  doesn't  give  any  chance 
to  learn." 

"  Then  you  lilce  learning  ?  " 

"  Yes.     '  Live  and  Learn,'  —  that  is  my  motto." 

"  It  is  a  very  good  one.  Do  you  ever  mean  to  be 
a  printer  ?  " 

"  If  I  get  a  chance. 

"  You  may  come  into  my  office  on  the  first  of 
April,  if  3'ou  like.  One  of  my  men  will  leave  me 
by  the  first  of  May.  If  you  are  a  smart  bo}-,  and 
really  wish  to  learn  the  business,  j'ou  can  break  in 
so  as  to  be  useful  in  four  weeks." 

"  I  should  like  it,"  said  Harry  ;  "  but,"  he  added, 
with  hesitation,  "  I  am  poor,  and  could  not  afibrd  to 
work  for  nothing  while  I  was  learning." 

"  I'll  tell  3'ou  what  I'll  do,  then,"  said  the  editor. 
"  I'll  give  you  3'our  board  for  the  first  month,  on  con- 
dition that  3'Ou'K  work  for  sis  months  afterward  for 
two  dollars  a  week  and  board.  That's  a  fair  offer. 
I  wouldn't  make  it  if  I  didn't  feel  assured  that  you 
were  smart,  and  would  in  time  be  valuable  to  me." 

Harry  stopped  to  consider. 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  271 

"  I'll  come,"  said  he,  at  length ;  "  that  is,  if  my 
father  does  not  object." 

"  Quite  right.  I  should  not  like  to  have  jon  act 
contrary  to  his  wishes.  I  suppose,  for  the  present, 
you  will  remain  with  Professor  Henderson." 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Very  well.  Let  me  hear  from  you  when  you 
have  communicated  with  jouv  father." 

"  Yes,  sir." 

Harry  left  the  office  plunged  in  thought.  It  came 
upon  him  with  surprise,  that  he  had  engaged  him- 
self to  learn  a  new  business,  and  that  the  one  which 
he  had  longed  to  follow  ever  since  he  had  become 
acquainted  with  Franklin's  early  life.  He  realized 
that  he  was  probably  making  an  immediate  sacrifice. 
He  could,  undoubtedly,  make  more  money  in  the 
shoe-shop  than  in  the  printing-office,  for  the  present 
at  least.  By  the  first  of  April  the  shoe  business 
would,  without  much  doubt,  be  lively,  and,  if  so,  he 
could  obtain  employment.  But  then  he  was  sure  he 
should  like  printing  better,  and  if  he  was  ever  going 
to  change,  why,  the  sooner  he  made  the  change  the 
better. 


272  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

When  he  returned  to  the  hotel,  he  told  the  pro- 
fessor what  he  had  done. 

"  I  am  glad  you  are  not  going  at  once,"  said  Ms 
employer,  "  for  I  should  be  sorry  to  lose  you.  I 
generally  give  up  trayelling  for  the  season  about  the 
first  of  April,  so  that  I  shall  then  be  ready  to  release 
you.  I  commend  your  choice  of  a  trade.  Many  of 
oiu'  best  editors  have  been  practical  printers  in  their 
youth." 

"  I  should  like  to  be  an  editor,  but  I  don't  know 
enough." 

"Not  at  iDresent ;  but  you  can  qualify  yourself  to 
become  one,  —  that  is,  if  you  devote  your  spare  time 
to  reading  and  studj'ing." 

"  I  mean  to  do  that." 

"  Then  you  will  have  a  fair  chance  of  becoming 
what  you  desu-e.  To  a  certain  extent,  a  boy,  or 
young  man,  holds  the  future  in  his  own  hands." 

Harry  wrote  to  his  father,  at  once,  in  regard  to  the 
plan  which  he  had  in  view.  The  answer  did  not 
reach  him  for  nearly  a  week ;  but  we  will  so  far 
anticipate  matters  as  to  insert  that  j)art  which 
related  to  it. 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  273 

"  If  you  desire  to  be  a  printer,  Harry,  I  shall  not 
object.  It  is  a  good  trade,  and  3'ou  can  make  your- 
self, through  it,  useful  to  the  community.  I  do  not 
suppose  it  will  ever  make  j^ou  rich.  Still,  I  should 
think  it  might,  in  time,  give  you  a  comfortable  living, 
—  better,  I  hope,  than  I  have  been  able  to  earn  as  a 
farmer.  If  you  determine  to  win  success,  you  prob- 
ably will.  If  you  should  leave  your  present  place 
before  the  first  of  April,  we  shall  be  very  glad  to 
have  you  come  home,  if  only  for  a  da}'  or  two.  "We 
all  miss  jom  very  much,  —  j'our  mother,  particularly. 
Tom  doesn't  say  much  about  it ;  but  I  know  he  will 
be  as  glad  to  see  you  as  the  rest  of  us." 

Harry  read  this,  letter  with  great  pleasm'e,  partly 

because    it  brought    him    permission   to   do   as  he 

desired,  and  partly  because  it  was  gratifying  to  him 

to  feel  that  he  was  missed  at  home.     He  determined, 

if  it  was  a  possible  thing,  to  leave  the  professor  a 

week  before  his   new  engagement,  and  spend  that 

time  in  Granton. 
18 


274  BOUND  TO  rise;  or^ 


CHAPTER    XXX. 

THE    MAN   WITH    BLACK   WHISKERS. 

On  the  morning  after  receiving  the  letter  from  his 
father,  Harry  came  down  to  breakfast,  but  looked  in 
vain  for  the  professor.  Supposing  he  would  be  down 
directly,  he  sat  down  to  the  breakfast-table.  When 
he  had  nearly  finished  eating,  a  boy  employed  about 
the  hotel  came  to  his  side. 

"That  gentleman  3'ou're  with  is  sick.  He  wants 
you  to  come  to  his  room  as  soon  as  you  are  through 
breakfast." 

Harry  did  not  wait  to  finish,  but  got  up  from  the 
table  at  once,  and  went  up  to  his  employer's  room. 

"  Are  you  sick,  sir?"  he  inquired,  anxiously. 

The  professor's  face  was  flushed,  and  he  was  toss- 
ing about  in  bed. 

"  Yes,"  he  answered.  "  I  am  afraid  I  am  threat- 
ened with  a  fever." 

"I  hope  not,  sir." 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  275 

"  I  am  subject  to  fevers  ;  but  I  hoped  I  might  not 
have  another  for  some  time  to  come.  I  must  have 
caught  cold  yesterday',  and  the  result  is,  that  I  am 
sick  this  morning." 

"  "What  can  I  do  for  you,  sir?  " 

"I  should  like  to  have  j^ou  go  for  the  doctor. 
Inquire  of  the  landlord  who  is  the  best  in  the 
village." 

"  I  will  go  at  once." 

On  inquiiy,  our  hero  was  informed  that  Dr.  Parker 
was  the  most  trusted  ph^^siciau  in  the  neighborhood, 
and  he  proceeded  to  his  house  at  once.  The  doctor 
was,  fortunately,  still  at  home,  and  answered  the 
summons  ^mmediatel3^  He  felt  the  sick  man's 
pulse,  asked  him  a  variety  of  questions,  and  finally 
announced  his  opinion. 

"  You  are  about  to  have  a  fever,"  he  said,  "  if, 
indeed,  the  fever  has  not  alread}'  set  in." 

"A  serious  fever,  doctor?"  asked  the  sick  man, 
anxiously. 

"  I  cannot  yet  determine." 

"  Do  you  think  I  shall  be  long  sick?  " 


276  BOUND  TO  rise;  or., 

"  That,  also,  is  uncertain.  I  suppose  you  will  be 
likely  to  be  detained  here  a  fortnight,  at  least.** 

"  I  wish  I  could  go  home."  -*. 

"It  would  not  be  safe  for  you  to  travel,  under 
present  circumstances." 

"  If  I  were  at  home,  I  could  be  under  my  wife's 
care." 

"  Can't  she  come  here? " 

"She  has  thi'ee  young  children.  It  would  be 
difficult  for  her  to  leave  them.' 

"  Who  is  the  boy  that  called  at  my  house?" 

"  Harry  "Walton.  He  is  my  assistant,  —  takes 
money  at  the  door,  and  helps  me  in  other  ways." 

"Is  he  trustworthy?" 

"  I  have  alwaj^s  found  him  so." 

"  Why  can't  he  attend  upon  you?" 

"I  mean  to  retain  him  with  me,  —  that  is,  if  he 
will  stay.     It  will  be  dull  work  for  a  boy  of  his  age 

"  You  can  obtain  a  nurse,  besides,  if  needful." 

"  You  had  better  engage  one  for  me,  as  I  cannot 
confine  him  here  all  the  time." 

"  I  will  do  so.     I  know  of  one,  skilful  and  expe- 


HABBT  Walton's  motto.  277 

rienced,  who  is  just  now  at  leisure.    I  will  send  her 
round  here  this  morning." 

"  "What  is  her  name  ?  " 

"  Not  a  very  romantic  one  —  Betsy  Chase." 

"  I  suppose  that  doesn't  prevent  her  being  a  good 
nurse,"  said  the  professor,  smiling. 

"  Not  at  all." 

Here  Harry  entered  the  room. 

"  Harry,"  said  the  professor,  "  the  doctor  tells  me 
I  am  going  to  be  sick." 

"  I  am  very  sorry,  sir,"  said  our  hero,  with  an  air 
of  concern. 

"  I  shall  probably  be  detained  here,  at  least,  a  fort- 
night.    Are  3'ou  willing  to  remain  with  me  ?  " 

"  Certainlj^,  sir.  I  should  not  think  of  leaving 
you,  sick  and  alone,  if  you  desired  me  to  stay.  I 
hope  I  can  make  myself  useful  to  3"0u." 

"  You  can.     I  shall  need  you  to  do  errands  for  me, 
and  to  sit  with  me  a  part  of  the  time." 
.   "  I  shall  be  very  willing  to  do  so,  sir." 

"  You  will  probably  find  it  dull." 

"  Not  so  dull  as  you,  sir.  The  time  must  seem 
very  long  to  you,  lying  on  that  bed." 


278  BOUND  TO  nisE;  on, 

"  I  suppose  it  will ;  but  that  can't  be  helped." 

"  A  nurse  will  be  here  this  afternoon,"  said  the 
doctor.  "  Until  she  comes,  j^ou  will  be  in  attendance 
here." 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  I  will  direct  you  what  to  do,  and  how  often  to 
administer  the  medicines.     Can  you  remember?" 

"  Yes,  sir,  I  shall  not  forget." 

Dr.  Parker  here  gave  Ilany  minute  instructions, 
which  need  not  be  repeated,  since  they  were  alto- 
gether of  a  professional  nature. 

After  the  doctor  was  gone,  Professor  Henderson 
said,  "  As  soon  as  the  nurse  comes,  I  shall  want  3'ou 
to  ride  over  to  the  next  town,  Carmansville,  and 
countermand  the  notices  for  an  exhibition  to-night. 
I  shall  not  be  able  to  give  entertainments  for  some 
time  to  come.  Indeed,  I  am  not  siu"e  but  I  must 
wait  till  next  season." 

"  How  shall  I  go  over?"  asked  Harry. 

"You  may  get  a  horse  and  buggy  at  the  stable, 
and  drive  over  there.  If  I  remember  righth',  it  is 
between  seven  and  eight  miles.  The  road  is  a  little 
winding,  but  I  think  you  won't  lose  your  way." 


HARitY  Walton's  motto.  279 

"  Oh,  I'll  find  it,"  said  Harry,  confidently. 

It  was  not  till  three  o'clock  that  the  nurse  made 
her  appearance,  and  it  was  half-past  three  before 
Harry  started  on, his  way. 

"  You  need  not  hurry  home,"  said  the  professor. 
"  In  fact,  3^ou  had  better  take  supper  at  the  hotel  in 
Carmansville,  as  jon  probably  could  not  very  well 
get  back  here  till  eight  o'clock." 

"  Very  well,  sir,"  said  Harry.  "  But  shan't  j'ou 
need  me  ?  " 

"  No  ;  Miss  Chase  will  attend  to  me." 

"  Mrs.  Chase,  if  you  please,"  said  the  nurse. 
"  I've  been  a  widder  for  twenty  years." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  Mrs.  Chase,"  said  the  sick 
man,  smiling. 

"  "When  my  husband  was  alive,  I  never  expected 
to  go  out  nursin' ;  but  I've  had  to  come  to  it." 

"  The.' -doctor  saj's  3'ou  are  a  very  skilful  and 
experienced  nurse." 

"  I'd  ought  to  be.  I've  nussed  people  in  almost  all 
sorts  of  diseases,  from  measles  to  small-pox.  You 
needn't  be  frightened,  sir ;  I  haven't  had  any  smaU- 


280  BOUND  TO  rise;  ojr, 

pox  case  lately.  Isn't  it  most  time  to  take  your 
medicine  ?  " 

Harry  left  the  room,  and  was  soon  on  Ms  way  to 
Carmansville.  Once  he  got  off  the  road,  which  was 
rather  a  perplexing  one,  but  he  soon  found  it  again. 
However,  it  was  half-past  five  before  he  reached  the 
village,  and  nearly  an  hour  later  before  he  had  done 
the  errand  which  brought  him  over.  Finally,  he 
came  back  to  the  tavern,  and  being  b^^  this  time 
hungr}^,  went  in  at  once  to  supper.  He  did  full 
justice  to  the  meal  which  was  set  before  him.  The 
day  was  cold,  and  his  cold  ride  had  stimulated  his 
appetite. 

"When  he  sat  down  to  the  table  he  was  alone  ;  but 
a  minute  afterwards  a  small,  dark-complexioned 
man,  with  heavy  black  whiskers,  came  in,  and  sat 
down  beside  him.  He  had  a  heavy  look,  and  a  for- 
bidding  expression ;  but  our  hero  was  too  btisy  to 
take  particular  notice  of  him  till  the  latter  com- 
menced a  conversation. 

' '  It's  a  prett}'  cold  day,"  he  remarked. 

"  Very  cold,"  said  Harry.  "  I  am  dreading  my 
ride  back  to  Pentland." 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  281 

"  Are  you  going  to  Pentland  to-night  ?  "  asked  the 
stranger,  with  interest. 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  Do  you  live  over  there  ?  " 

"  No ;  I  am  there  for  a  short  time  only,"  Harry 
replied. 

"Business?** 

"  Yes." 

"  You  seem  rather  young  to  be  in  business,"  said 
the  stranger. 

"  Oh,"  said  Harry,  smiling,  "  I  am  in  the  employ 
of  Professor  Henderson,  the  ventriloquist.  I  sup- 
pose it  is  hardly  proper  to  say  that  I  am  in  busi- 
ness." 

"  Professor  Henderson  !  Why,  he  is  going  to  give 
an  entertainment  here  to-night,  isn't  he  ?  " 

"  He  was ;  but  I  have  come  over  to  countermand 
the  notice."     . 

"What  is  that  for?" 

"  He  is  taken  sick  at  Pentland,  and  won't  be  able 
to  come." 

"  Oh,  that's  it.    Well,  I'm  sorry,  for  I  should  like 


282  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

to  have  gone  to  hear  him.  So  you  are  his  assistant, 
are  you?" 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  Can  you  perform  tricks,  too  ?  " 

"  I  don't  assist  him  in  that  way.  I  take  money  at 
the  door,  and  help  him  with  his  apparatus." 

"  Have  you  been  with  him  long  ?  " 

"  Only  a  few  weeks." 

"So  you  are  his  treasm'er,  are  you?"  asked  the 
stranger,  smiling. 

"  Ye-es,"  said  Harry,  slowly,  for  it  brought  to  his 
mind  that  he  had  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  of  the 
professor's  money  in  his  pocket,  besides  the  pocket- 
book  containing  his  own.  He  intended  to  have  left 
it  with  his  employer,  but  in  the  hurry  of  leaving  he 
had  forgotten  to  do  so.  Now  he  was  about  to  take  a 
long  ride  in  the  evening  with  this  large  sum  of 
money  about  him. 

"  However,"  he  said,  reassming  himself,  "  there  is 
nothing  to  be  afraid  of.  Country  people  are  not 
robbers.  Burglars  stay  in  the  cities.  I  have  noth- 
ing to  fear." 


HARBT  Walton's  motto.  283 

Still  he  prudently  resolved,  if  compelled  to  be  out 
late  again,  to  leave  his  money  at  home. 

He  rose  from  the  table,  followed  by  the  stranger. 

"  Well,"  said  the  latter,  "  I  must  be  going.  How 
soon  do  you  start?  " 

"  In  a  few  minutes." 

"  WeU,  good-night." 

"  Good-night." 

"  He  seems  inclined  to  be  social,"  thought  Harry, 
"  but  I  don't  fancy  him  much." 


284  BOUND  TO  rise;  or. 


CHAPTER    XXXI. 

AN  UNLOOKED-FOR  MEETING. 

Harry  was  soon  on  his  way  home.  It  was  already 
getting  dark,  and  he  felt  a  little  anxious  lest  he 
should  lose  his  way.  He  was  rather  sorry  that  he 
had  not  started  earlier,  though  he  had  lost  no  time. 

He  had  gone  about  two  miles,  when  he  came  to  a 
place  where  two  roads  met.  There  was  no  guide- 
board,  and  he  could  not  remember  by  which  he  had 
come.  Luckily,  as  he  thought,  he  descried  a  man  a 
little  ahead.     He  stopped  the  horse,  and  hailed  him. 

"  Can  3'ou  tell  me  which  road  to  take  to  Pent- 
land?"  he  asked. 

The  man  addressed  turned  his  head,  and,  to  his 
sui-prise,  our  hero  recognized  his  table-companion  at 
the  inn. 

"  Oh,  it's  you,  my  young  friend ! "  he  said. 

"  Yes,   sir.     Can  you  tell  me  the  right  road  to 


HAEBT  Walton's  motto.  285 

Pentland?  I  have  never  been  this  way  before  to- 
daj",  and-l  have  forgotten  how  I  came." 

"  I'm  thinking  of  going  to  Pentland  myself,"  said 
the  other.  "  My  sister  lives  there.  If  you  don't 
mind  giving  me  a  lift,  I  wiU  jump  in  with  you,  and 
guide  you." 

Now,  though  Harry  did  not  fancy  the  man's  appear- 
ance, he  had  no  reason  to  doubt  him,  nor  any  ground 
for  refusing  his  request. 

"  Jump  in,  sir,"  he  said.  "  There  is  plenty  of 
room." 

The  stranger  was  speedily  seated  at  his  side. 

"  Take  the  left-hand  road,"  he  said. 

Harry  turned  to  the  left. 

"  It's  rather  a  blind  road,"  observed  the  stranger. 

"  I  think  I  could  remember  in  the  daytime,"  said 
Harr}- ;  "  but  it  is  so  dark  now,  that  I  am  in  doubt." 

"  So  I  suppose." 

The  road  on  which  they  had  entered  was  very 
lonely.  Scarcely  a  house  was  passed,  and  the  neigh- 
borhood seemed  quite  uninhabited. 

"  I  don't  remember  this  road,"  said  Harry, 
anxiously.     "Are  you  sure  we  are  right?" 


286  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

"  Yes,  yes,  we  are  right.    Don't  trouble  yourself." 

"  It's  a  lonely  road." 

"  So  it  is.  I  don't  suppose  there's  anybody  lives 
within  half  a  mile." 

"  The  road  didn't  seem  so  lonely  when  I  came  over 
it  this  afternoon." 

"  Oh,  that's  the  effect  of  sunshine.  Nothing 
seems  lonely  in  the  daytime.  Turn  down  that 
lane." 

"What  for?"  asked  Harry,  in  surprise.  "That 
can't  be  the  road  to  Pentland." 

"  Never  mind  that.     Turn,  I  tell  you." 

His  companion  spoke  fiercely,  and  Harry's  mind 
began  to  conceive  alarming  suspicions  as  to  his 
character.  But  he  was  brave,  and  not  easily 
daunted. 

"  The  horse  and  carriage  are  mine,  or,  at  least,  are 
under  my  direction,"  he  said,  firmly,  "  and  you  have 
no  control  over  them.     I  shall  not  turn." 

"  "Won't  you?"  retorted  the  stranger,  with  an  oath, 
and  drew  from  his  pocket  a  pistol.     ""Won't  you?" 

"  "What  do  you  mean?  "Who  are  you?  "  demanded 
Harry. 


HABRT  Walton's  motto.  287 

"  You  will  find  out  before  I  get  through  with  you. 
Now  turn  into  the  lane." 

"  I  will  not,"  said  Harry,  pale,  but  determined. 

"  Then  I  will  save  you  the  trouble,"  and  his  com- 
panion snatched  the  reins  from  him,  and  turned  the 
horse  himself.  Resistance  was,  of  course,  useless, 
and  oxur  hero  was  compelled  to  submit. 

"  There,  that  suits  me  better.     Now  to  business." 

"To  business?" 

"  Yes,  to  business.    Produce  your  pocket-book." 

"Would  you  rob  me?"  asked  Harry,  who  was  in 
a  measure  prepared  for  the  demand. 

"  Oh,  of  course  not,"  said  the  other.  "  Gentlemen 
never  do  such  things.  I  want  to  borrow  your 
money,  that  is  all." 

"  I  don't  want  to  lend." 

"I  dare  say  not,"  sneered  the  other;  "but  I 
shan't  be  able  to  respect  your  wishes.  The  sooner 
you  give  me  the  money  the  better." 

Harry  had  two  pocket-books.  The  one  contained 
his  own  money, —  about  forty  dollars,  —  the  other 
the  money  of  his  employer.  The  first  was  in  the 
side-pocket  of  his  coat,  the  second  in  the  pocket  of 


288  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

his  pants.  The  latter,  as  was  stated  in  the  preced- 
ing chapter,  contained  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars. 
Harry  heartily  repented  not  having  left  it  behind, 
but  it  was  too  late  for  repentance.  He  could  only 
hope  that  the  robber  would  be  satisfied  with  one 
pocket-book,  and  not  suspect  the  existence  of  the 
other.  There  seemed  but  little  hope  of  saving  his 
own  money.  However,  he  determined  to  do  it,  if 
possible. 

"  Hurry  up,"  said  the  stranger,  impatiently. 
"  You  needn't  pretend  yon  have  no  mone3^  I  know 
better  than  that.     I  saw  you  pay  the  landlord." 

"  Then  he  saw  the  professor's  pocket-book," 
thought  Harry,  uneasily.  "Mine  is  of  different 
appearance.  1  hope  he  won't  detect  the  differ- 
ence." 

"I  hope  you  will  leave  me  some  of  the  money," 
said  Harry,  producing  the  jDOcket-book.  "It  is  all 
I  have." 

"How  much  is  there?" 

"  About  forty  dollars." 

"  Humph !  that  isn't  much." 

"  It  is  all  I  have  in  the  world." 


HARRY  WALTOK's  MOTTO.  289 

"  Pooh !  you  are  young  and  can  soon  earn  some 
more.     I  must  have  the  whole  of  it." 

"  Can't  you  leave  me  five  dollars?" 

"  No,  I  can't.  Forty  dollars  are  little  enough  to 
serve  my  turn." 

So  saying,  he  coolly  deposited  the  pocket-book  in 
the  pocket  of  his  pants. 

"  So  far  so  good.  It's  well,  youngster,  you  didn't 
make  any  more  fuss,  or  I  might  have  had  to  use  my 
little  persuader  ; "  and  he  displayed  the  pistol. 

"  Will  you  let  me  go  now,  sir  ?  " 

"  I  have  not  got  through  my  business  yet.  That's 
a  nice  overcoat  of  yours." 

Harry  looked  at  him,  in  doubt  as  to  his  meaning, 
but  he  was  soon  enlightened. 

"  I  am  a  small  person,"  proceeded  the  man  with 
black  whiskers,  "  scarcely  any  larger  than  you.  I 
think  it'U  be  a  good  fit." 

"Must  I  lose  my  overcoat,  too ? "  thought  Plarry, 
in  trouble. 

"You've  got  an  overcoat  of  your  own,  sir,"  he 
said.     "You  don't  need  mine." 

"  Oh,  I  wouldn't  rob  you  of  yours,  on  any  account. 


290  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

A  fail*  exchange  is  no  robbery.  I  am  going  to  give 
you  mine  in  exchange  for  yom^s." 

The  stranger's  coat  was  rough  and  well  worn,  and, 
at  its  best,  had  been  inferior  to  Harry's  coat.  Our 
hero  felt  disturbed  at  the  prospect  of  losing  it,  for  he 
could  not  tell  when  he  could  afford  to  get  another. 

"  I  should  think  j^ou  might  be  satisfied  with  the 
pocket-book,"  he  said.  "  I  hope  jon  will  leave  me 
my  coat." 

"  Off  with  the  coat,  youngster ! ''  was  the  sole 
reply.  "  Fh'st,  get  out  of  the  buggy.  We  can 
make  the  exchange  better  outside." 

As  opposition  would  be  unavailing,  Harry  obeyed. 
The  robber  took  from  him  the  handsome  overcoat, 
the  possession  of  which  had  afforded  him  so  much 
satisfaction,  and  handed  him  his  own.  In  great  dis- 
gust and  dissatisfaction,  our  hero  invested  himself 
in  it. 

"  Fits  you  as  if  it  was  made  for  you,"  said  the 
stranger,  with  a  short  laugh.  "  Yours  is  a  trifle 
slow  for  me,  but  I  can  make  it  go.  No,  don't  be 
in  such  a  hurry." 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  291 

He  seized  Harry  by  the  arm  as  lie  was  about  to 
jump  into  the  carriage. 

"  I  must  go,"  said  Harry.  "  You  have  already 
detained  me  some  time." 

"  I  intend  to  detain  jon  some  time  longer."  _^    j" 

"Have  you  got  any  more  business  with  me?  "    ~      'fir  ■ 

"  Yes,  I  have.     You've  hit  it  exactly.     You'll  soon  J 
know  what  it  is." 

He  produced  a  ball  of  cord  from  a  pocket  of  his 
inside  coat,  and  with  a  knife  severed  a  portion. 

"Do  you  know  what  this  is  for?"  he  asked, 
jeeringly. 

"No." 

"  Say  '  No,  su-.'  It's  more  respectful.  Well,  I'll 
gratify  your  laudable  curiosity.  It's  to  tie  youx 
hands  and  feet." 

"  I  won't*  submit  to  it,"  said  Harry,  angrily. 

"Won't  you?"  asked  the  other,  coolly.  "This  is 
a  very  pretty  pistol,  isn't  it?  I  hope  I  shan't  have 
to  use  it." 

"What  do  you  want  to  tie  my  hands  for?"  asked 
Harry. 

"  For  obvious  reasons,  my  young  friend." 


292  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

"  I  can't  drive  if  my  hands  are  tied." 

"  Correct,  my  son.  I  don't  intend  you  to  drive 
to-night.     Give  me  your  hands." 

Harry  considered  whether  it  would  be  advisable 
to  resist.  The  stranger  was  not  much  larger  than 
himself.  He  was  a  man,  however,  and  naturally 
stronger.  Besides,  he  had  a  pistol.  He  decided 
that  it  was  necessary  to  submit.  After  all,  he  had 
saved  his  employer's  monc}',  even  if  he  had  lost  his 
own,  and  this  was  something.  He  allowed  himself 
to  be  bound. 

"  Now,"  said  the  stranger,  setting  him  up  against 
the  stone  wall,  which  bordered  the  lane,  "  I  will  bid 
you  good-night.  I  might  take  jom:  horse,  but,  on 
the  whole,  I  don't  want  it.  I  will  fasten  it  to  this 
tree,  where  it  will  be  all  readj^  for  you  in  the  morn- 
ing. That's  considerate  in  me.  Good-night.  I 
hope  you  are  comfortable." 

He  disappeared  in  the  darkness,  and  Harry  was 
left  alone. 


HABRY  Walton's  motto.  293 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 

A   FRIEND   IN  NEED. 

Harry's  reflections,  as  he  lay  on  the  ground,  were 
not  the  most  cheerful.  He  was  sitting  in  a  con- 
strained posture,  his  hands  and  feet  being  tied,  and, 
moreover,  the  cold  air  chilled  him.  The  cold  was 
not  intense,  but  as  he  was  unable  to  move  his  lirabs, 
he,  of  course,  felt  it  the  more. 

"I  suppose  it  will  get  colder,"  thought  Harry, 
uncomfortably.  "  I  wonder  if  there  is  any  danger 
of  freezing." 

The  horse  evidently  began  to  feel  impatient,  for  he 
turned  round  and  looked  at  our  hero,  as  much  as  to 
say,  "Why  are  we  stopping  here?  Why  don't  you 
keep  on  ?  " 

"  I  wish  somebody  would  come  this  way,"  thought 
Harry,  and  he  looked  up  and  down  the  lane  as  well 
as  he  could,  but  could  see  no  one. 


294  BOUND   TO  rise;   OS, 

"  If  I  could  only  get  at  my  knife,"  said  Harry,  to 
himself,  "  I  could  cut  these  cords.     Let  me  try." 

He  tried  to  get  his  hands  into  his  pockets,  but  it 
was  of  no  avail.  The  pocket  was  too  deep,  and 
though  he  worked  his  body  round,  he  finally  gave  it 
up.  It  seemed  likely  that  he  must  stay  here  all 
night.  The  next  day  probably  some  one  would 
come  hy,  as  they  were  so  near  a  public  road,  upon 
whom  he  could  call  to  release  him. 

"  The  night  will  seem  about  a  week  long,"  poor 
Harry  considered.  "  I  shan't  dare  to  go  to  sleep, 
for  fear  I  may  freeze  to  death." 

The  horse  whinnied  again,  and  again  looked  inquir- 
ingly at  his  3'oung  driver,  but  the  latter  was  not 
master  of  the  situation,  and  was  obliged  to  disregard 
the  mute  appeal. 

"  I  wonder  the  robber  didn't  carry  off  the  horse," 
thought  Harry.  "  I  suppose  he  had  his  reasons.  It 
isn't  likely  he  left  it  out  of  regard  for  me." 

Two  hours  passed,  and  Harry  still  found  himself 
a  prisoner.  His  constrained  position  became  still 
more  uncomfortable.  He  longed  for  the  power  of 
jumping  up  and  stretching  his  legs,  now  numb  and 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  295 

chilled,  but  the  cord  was  strong,  and  defied  his 
efforts.  No  person  had  passed,  nor  had  he  heard 
any  sound  as  he  lay  there,  except  the  occasional 
whinny  of  the  horse,  who  was  tied  as  well  as  himself, 
and  did  not  appear  to  enjoy  his  confinement  any 
better. 

It  was  at  this  moment  that  Harry's  heart  leaped 
with  sudden  hope,  as  he  heard  in  the  distance  the 
sound  of  a  whistle.  It  might  be  a  boy,  or  it  might 
be  a  man ;  but,  as  he  listened  intently,  he  perceived 
that  it  was  coming  nearer. 

"  I  hope  I  can  make  him  hear,"  thought  Harry, 
earnestly . 

It  was  a  bo3'  of  about  his  own  age,  who  was 
advancing  along  the  road  from  which  he  had  turned 
into  the  lane.  The  boy  was  not  alone,  as  it 
appeared,  for  a  large  dog  ran  before  him.  The 
dog  first  noticed  the  horse  and  bugg}',  and  nest  our 
hero,  lying  on  the  ground,  and,  concluding  that  some- 
thing was  wrong,  Ibegan  to  bark  violently,  circling 
uncomfortabl}"  near  Harry,  against  whom  he  seemed 
to  cherish  hostile  designs. 


296  BOUND  TO  rise;  OS, 

"What's  the  matter,  Csesar?"  shouted  his  young 
master. 

"  Good  dog ! "  said  Harry,  soothingly,  in  mo- 
mentary fear  that  the  brute  would  bite  him. 

But  Caesar  was  not  to  be  cajoled  by  flattery. 
"  Bow,  wow,  wow  ! "  he  answered,  opening  his  large 
mouth,  and  displaying  a  formidable  set  of  teeth. 

"  Good  dog !  I'd  like  to  choke  him ! "  added 
Harry,  in  an  undertone  to  himself. 

There  was  another  volley  of  barks,  which  seemed 
likely  to  be  followed  by  an  attack.  Just  at  this 
moment,  however,  luckily  for  our  hero,  the  dog's 
master  came  up. 

"  Why,  Caesar,"  he  called,  "  what  is  the  matter 
with  3"ou  ?  " 

"  Please  take  your  dog  away,"  said  Harry.  "  I 
am  afraid  he  will  bite  me." 

"  Who  are  you? "  inquired  the  boy,  in  sui'prise. 

"  Come  and  untie  these  cords,  and  I  will  tell 
you." 

"What!  are  you  tied?" 

"  Yes,  hand  and  foot." 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  297 

"  Who  did  it  ?  "  asked  the  boy,  in  increasing  sur- 
prise. 

"  I  don't  know  his  name,  but  he  robbed  me  of  my 
pocket-book  before  doing  it." 

"  "What,  a  robber  around  here ! "  exclaimed  the 
boy,  incredulous. 

"  Yes ;  I  met  him  first  over  in  Carmansville. 
Thank  you ;  now  my  feet,  if  you  please.  It  seems 
good  to  be  free  again  ; "  and  Harry  swung  his  arms, 
and  jumped  up  and  down  to  bring  back  the  sense  of 
warmth  to  his  chilled  limbs. 

"  Is  this  horse  yours?"  asked  the  boy. 

"  Yes ;  I  took  up  the  man,  and  he  promised  to 
show  me  the  road  to  Pentland." 

"  This  isn't  the  road  to  Pentland." 

"  I  suppose  not.     He  took  me  wrong  on  purpose." 

"  How  much  money  did  he  take  from  you?  " 

"  Forty  dollars." 

"That's  a  good  deal,"  said  the  country  boy. 
"Was  it  yours?" 

"  Yes." 

"  I  never  had  so  much  money  in  my  life." 

"It  has  taken  me  almost  six  months  to  earn  it. 


298  BOUND  TO  rise;  OB, 

But  I  had  more  money  witli  me,  only  he  didn't  know 
it." 

"How  much?" 

"  A  hundred  and  fifty  dollars." 

"  "Was  it  yours?"  asked  the  boy,  surprised. 

"  No  ;  it  belonged  to  my  employer." 

"Who  is  he?" 

"  Professor  Henderson,  the  ventriloquist." 

"  Where  is  he  stopping?" 

"  Over  at  Pentland.  He  is  sick  at  the  hotel 
there." 

"  It's  lucky  for  you  I  was  out  to-night.  I  aint 
often  out  so  late,  but  1  went  to  see  a  friend  of 
mine,  and  stayed  later  than  I  meant  to." 

"  Do  you  live  near  here  ?  " 

"  I  live  about  quarter  of  a  mile  up  this  lane." 

"Do  you  know  what  time  it  is? " 

"  I  don't  know,  but  I  think  it  is  past  ten." 

"  I  wonder  whether  I  can  get  anybody  to  go  with 
me  to  Pentland.     I  can't  find  my  wa}^  in  the  dark." 

"  I  will  go  with  you  to-morrow  morning." 

"  But  what  shall  I  do  to-night?" 

"  ril  tell  you.     Come  home  with  me.    The  folks 


HARRY  WALTOJSr^S  MOTTO.  299 

will  take  you  in,  and  the  horse  can  be  put  in  the 
barn." 

Harry  hesitated. 

"  I  suppose  tliej'  will  feel  anxious  about  me  over 
at  Pentlaud.  They  won't  know  what  has  become  of 
me." 

"  You  can  start  early  in  the  morning,  —  as  early 
as  you  like." 

"  Perhaps  it  will  be  better,"  said  Harr}^,  after  a 
pause.  "  It  won't  trouble  joxxx  family  too  much, 
will  it?" 

"  Not  a  bit,"  answered  the  boj^,  heartily.  "Very 
likely  they  won't  know  till  morning,"  he  added, 
laughing.  "  Thoy  go  to  bed  earlj',  and  I  told  them 
the}^  nee^ln't  wait  up  for  me." 

"I  am  ver}-  much  obliged  to  you,"  said  Harr3^ 
"  I  will  accept  yom'  kind  invitation.  As  I've  got  a 
horse,  we  may  as  well  ride.  I'll  untie  him,  and  3'ou 
jump  into  the  buggy." 

"  All  right,"  said  the  bo}',  well  pleased. 

"You  may  drive,  for  you  know  the  way  better 
than  I." 

"  Where  did  this  horse  come  from  ?  " 


300  BOUND   TO  rise;   05, 

"  From  the  stable  in  Peiitland." 

"Perhaps  they  will  think  you  have  run  away 
with  it." 

"  I  hope  not." 

"  What  is  your  name  ? " 

"  Harry  Walton.     What  is  yours  ?  " 

"  Jefferson  Selden.  The  boys  usually  call  me 
Jeff." 

"  Is  that  j^our  dog?" 

"  Yes.     He's  a  fine  fellow." 

"  I  didn't  think  so  when  he  was  tlureatening  to  bite 
me,"  said  HaiTy,  laughing. 

"  I  used  to  be  afraid  of  dogs,"  said  Jeff;  "but  I 
got  cured  of  it  after  a  while.  When  I  go  out  at 
night,  I  generally  take  Caesar  with  me.  If  you  had 
had  him,  jqvl  would  have  been  a  match  for  the 
robber." 

"  He  had  a  pistol." 

"  Caesar  would  have  had  him  down  before  he  could 
use  it." 

"  I  wish  he  had  been  with  me,  then." 

They  had,  by  this  time,  come  in  sight  of  Jeff's 


HARBY  Walton's  motto.  301 

house.  It  was  a  square  farm-liouse,  with  a  barn  in 
the  rear. 

"  We'll  go  right  out  to  the  barn,"  said  Jeff,  "  and 
put  up  the  horse.  Then  we'll  come  back  to  the 
house  and  go  to  bed." 

There  was  a  little  difficulty  in  unharnessing  the 
horse,  on  account  of  the  absence  of  light ;  but  at  last, 
bj'  a  combined  effort,  it  was  done,  and  the  buggy  was 
drawn  into  the  barn,  and  the  doors  shut. 

"  There,  all  will  be  safe  till  to-morrow  morning," 
said  Jeff.     "  Now  we'll  go  into  the  house."  • 

He  entered  by  the  back  shed  door,  and  Harry 
followed  him.  Thcj  went  into  the  broad,  low 
kitchen,  with  its  ample  fireplace,  in  which  a  few 
embers  were  glowing.  By  these  Jeff  lighted  a 
candle,  and  asked  Harry  if  he  would  have  anything 
to  eat. 

"  No,  thank  you,"  said  Harry.  "  I  ate  a  heart}^ 
supper  at  Carmansville." 

"  Then  we'll  go  upstairs  to  bed.  I  sleep  in  a 
small  room  over  the  shed.  You  won't  mind  sleep- 
ing with  me  ?  " 


302  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

"I  shoula  like  your  company,"  said  Harry,  who 
was  attracted  to  his  good-natured  companion. 

"  Then  come  up.  I  guess  we'll  find  the  bed  wide 
enough." 

He  led  the  way  up  a  narrow  staii'case,  into  a  room 
low  studded,  and  very  plainly  but  comfortably  fur- 
nished. 

"  The  follcs  will  be  surprised  to  see  you  here  in  the 
morning,"  said  Jeff. 

"  I  may  be  gone  before  they  are  up." 
,  "  I  guess  not.     Father'll  be  up  by  five  o'clock,  and 
I  think  that'll  be   as   early   as  you'll   want   to  be 
stirrinar."  / 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  303 


CHAPTER    XXXIII. 

THE   NEXT   MORNING. 

"  Where  am  I  ?  "  asked  Harry,  the  next  morning, 
as  he  sat  up  in  bed  and  stared  around  him. 

"  Don't  you  remember  ?  "  asked  Jeff,  smiling. 

Jeff  was  standing  by  the  bedside,  already  dressed. 

"  Yes ;  I  remember  now,"  said  Harry,  slo^vly. 
"What  time  is  it?" 

"  Seven  o'clock." 

"  Seven  o'clock  !     I  meant  to  be  dressed  at  six." 

"  That  is  the  time  I  got  up,"  said  Jeff. 

"  Why  didn't  you  wake  me  up  ? " 

"  You  looked  so  comfortable  that  I  thought  it  was 
a  pity  to  wake  you.     You  must  have  felt  tired." 

"  I  think  it  was  the  cold  that  made  me  sleepy.  I 
got  chilled  through  when  I  lay  on  the  ground  there, 
tied  hand  and  foot.  But  I  must  get  up  in  a  hurry 
now." 

He  jumped  out  of  bed,  and  hurried  on  his  clothes. 


304  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

"  Now,"  said  Jeff,  "  come  down  into  the  kitchen, 
and  mother'!!  give  you  some  breakfast." 

"  I  am  giving  you  a  great  dea!  of  trouble,  I  am 
afraid,"  said  Harry. 

"  No,  you're  not.  It's  no  trouble  at  all.  The  rest 
of  tlie  family  have  eaten  breakfast,  but  I  waited  for 
you.  I've  been  up  an  hour,  and  fee!  as  hungry  as  a 
wolf.  So  come  down,  and  we'll  see  who'll  eat  the 
most." 

"  I  can  do  my  part,"  said  Harry.  "  I've  got  a 
good  appetite,  though  I've  been  up  a  good  deal  less 
than  an  hour." 

"  Talie  your  overcoat  along,"  said  Jeff;  "  or  will 
you  come  up  and  get  it  after  breakfast  ?  " 

"  I'll  take  it  down  with  me.  It  isn't  my  coat,  you 
know.  Mine  was  a  much  better  one.  I  wish  I  had 
it  back." 

Jeff,  meanwhile,  had  taken  up  the  coat. 

"  There's  something  in  the  pocket,"  he  said. 
"What  is  it?" 

"  I  didn't  put  anything  in." 

Harry  thrust  his  hand  into  tlie  side  pocket  for  the 
first  time,  and  drew  out  a  shabby  leather  wallet. 


HAERT  Walton's  motto.  305 

"  Perhaps  there's  money  in  it,"  Jeff  suggested. 

The  same  thought  had  occurred  to  Harry.  He 
hastily  opened  it,  and  his  eyes  opened  wide  with 
astonishment  as  he  drew  out  a  thick  roll  of  bills. 

"  By  hoke}^ !  "  said  Jeff,  "  you're  in  luck.  The 
robber  took  your  pocket-book,  and  left  his  own. 
Maybe  there's  as  much  as  you  lost.     Count  it." 

This  Harry  eagerly  proceeded  to  do. 

"  Thi-ee  —  eight  —  eleven  —  thh'teen  —  eighteen  — 
twenty,"  he  repeated,  aloud.  He  continued  his 
count,  which  resulted  in  showing  that  the  wallet 
contained  ninety-seven  dollars. 

"  Ninety-seven  dollars  ! "  exclaimed  Jeff.  "  How 
much  did  you  lose?" 

"  Forty  dollars." 

"  Then  you've  made  just  fiftj^-seven  dollars. 
Bully  for  you !  " 

"  But  I've  exchanged  a  good  overcoat  for  a  poor 
one." 

"  There  can't  Tdc  more  than  seventeen  dollars 
difference." 

"  Not  so  much." 

"  Then  you're  forty  dollars  better  off,  at  any  rate." 


306  BOUND    TO   mSE,    OR, 

"  But  I  don't  know  as  I  can  claim  this  nione}'-,* 
said  Hariy,  doubtfully.     "  It  isn't  mine." 

"  He  won't  be  likely  to  call  for  it.  When  he  does, 
and  returns  you  the  money  and  the  coat,  it  will  be 
time  to  think  about  it." 

"  I  will  ask  Professor  Henderson  about  that.  At 
any  rate  I've  got  m}^  money  back,  that's  one  good 
thing." 

This  timely  discovery  made  Harry  decidedly  cheer- 
ful, and,  if  anything,  sharpened  his  appetite  for 
breakfast.  Now  Mr.  Selden  had  gone  out  to  oversee 
some  farm  work  ;  but  Mrs.  Selden  received  our  hero 
very  kindly,  and  made  him  feel  that  he  was  heartily 
welcome  to  all  that  she  could  ofler.  She  had  many 
questions  to  ask  about  the  bold  robber  who  had  way- 
laid him,  and  expressed  the  hope  that  he  had  left  the 
neighborhood. 

"  Perhaps  he'll  come  back  for  his  wallet,  Harry," 
said  Jeff.     "  You'd  better  look  out  for  him." 

"  I  shall  take  care  how  I  carr}^  much  money  about 
with  me,  after  this,"  said  Harry.  "  That  was  Avhat 
got  me  into  a  scrape  j-esterday." 

"  He  wouldn't  make  out  much  if  he  tried  to  rob 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  307 

me,"  said  Jeff.  "  I  haven't  got  money  enough  about 
me  to  pa}^  the  board  of  a  full-grown  fly  for  twenty- 
four  hours." 

"  You  don't  look  as  if  3'our  poverty  troubled  you 
much,"  said  his  mother. 

"  I  don't  have  any  board-bills  to  pay,"  said  Jeff, 
'•  so  I  can  get  along." 

"I  should  think  you  would  feel  nervous  about 
riding  to  Pentland  alone,"  said  Mrs.  Selden,  "  for 
fear  of  meeting  the  man  who  robbed  you  yesterday." 

"  I  do  dread  it  a  little,"  said  Harry,  "  having  so 
much  mone}"  about  me.  Besides  this  ninety-s%\en 
dollars,  I've  got  a  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  belong- 
ing to  my  employer." 

"  Suppose  I  go  with  you  to  protect  3'ou,"  said 
Jeff. 

"  I  wish  you  would." 

"  I  don't  think  Jefferson  would  make  a  very  effi- 
cient protector,"  said  his  mother. 

"  You  don't  know  how  brave  I  am,  mother,"  said 
Jeff,  in  the  tone  of  an  injured  hero. 

"  No,   I   don't,"   said    his    mother,   smiling.     "  I 


308  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

believe  there  was  a  time  when  you  were  not  very 
heroic  in  the  company  of  dogs." 

"  That's  long  ago,  mother.     I've  got  over  it  now." 

"  If  you  would  like  to  ride  over  with  your  friend, 
you  may  do  so.     But  how  will  you  get  back  ?  " 

"  Major  Pinkham  will  be  up  there  this  afternoon. 
I  can  wait,  and  ride  home  with  him." 

"  Very  well ;  I  have  no  objection." 

The  two  boys  rode  off  together.  Harry  was  glad 
to  have  a  companion  who  knew  the  road  well,  for  he 
did  not  care  to  be  lost  again  till  he  had  delivered  up 
the  money  which  he  had  in  charge.  There  was  no 
opportunity  to  test  Jeff's  com-age,  for  the  highway- 
man did  not  make  his  appearance.  Indeed,  it  was 
not  till  the  next  morning  that  he  had  discovered  the 
serious  blunder  he  had  made  in  leaving  his  own 
wallet  behind,  and,  though  he  was  angry  and  dis- 
gusted, prudential  considerations  prevented  his 
going  back.  He  was  forced  to  the  unpleasant  con- 
viction that  he  had  overreached  himself,  and  that  his 
intended  victim  had  come  out  best  in  the  "  ex- 
change" which  "was  no  robbery."  I  may  as  well 
add  here  that,  though  he  deserved  to  be  caught,  he 


aARRY  Walton's  motto.  309 

was  not,  and  Harr}'-  has  never,  to  this  day,  set  eyes 
either  upon  him  or  upon  the  coat. 

When  Harry  arrived  at  Pentland,  he  found  that  no 
little  anxiety  had  been  felt  about  him. 

"Has  Harry  come  yet?"  asked  the  sick  man,  at 
ten  o'clock  the  evening  previous. 

"  No,  he  hasn't,"  answered  the  nurse. 

"  It's  strange  what  keeps  him." 

" Did  he  have  any  money  of  yours  with  him?" 

"  Yes,  I  believe  he  had." 

"  Oh ! "  ejaculated  Mrs.  Chase,  significantly. 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  that?  " 

"  I  didn't  say  anything,  did  I?" 

"I  am  afraid  he  may  have  been  attacked  and 
robbed  on  the  road." 

Mi's.  Chase  coughed. 

"Don't  you  think  so?" 

"  I'll  tell  3^ou  what  I  think,  professor,"  said  the 
nurse,  proceeding  to  speak  plainly,  "  I  don't  think 
you'll  ever  see  anj^thing  of  that  boy  ag'in." 

"Why  not?" 

"  It  aint  safe  to  trust  boys  with  money,"  she 
answered,  sententiously. 


310  BOUND  TO  rise;  OB, 

"  Oh,  I'm  not  afraid  of  Ms  honesty." 

"  You  don't  say !  Maybe  you  haven't  seen  as 
much  of  boys  as  I  have." 

"  I  was  once  a  boy  myself,"  said  the  professor, 
smiling. 

"  Oh,  you  —  that's  different." 

"  Why  is  it  different  ?  I  wasn't  any  better  than 
boj^s  generally." 

"  I  don't  know  anything  about  that ;  but  you  mark 
my  words  —  as  like  as  not  he's  run  away  with  your 
money.     How  much  did  he  have?" 

"  I  can't  say  exactly.  Over  a  hundred  dollars,  I 
believe." 

"  Then  he  won't  come  back,"  said  Mrs.  Chase, 
decidedly. 

Here  the  conference  closed,  as  it  was  necessary  for 
Mr.  Henderson  to  take  medicine. 

"  Has  the  boy  returned?  "  asked  the  professor,  the 
next  morning. 

"  You  don't  expect  him  —  do  j'ou?  " 

"  Certainly  I  expect  him." 

"Well,  he  haint  come,  and  I  guess  he  won't 
come." 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  311 

"  I  am  sure  that  boy  is  honest,"  said  Professor 
Henderson  to  himself.  "If  he  isn't,  I'll  never 
trust  a  boy  again." 

Mrs.  Chase  was  going  downstairs  with  her 
patient's  breakfast  dishes,  when  she  was  nearly 
run  into  by  our  hero,  who  had  just  returned,  and 
was  eager  to  report  to  his  employer. 

"  Do  be  keerful,"  she  expostulated,  when,  to  her 
surprise,  she  recognized  Harry. 

So  he  had  come  back,  after  all,  and  falsified  her 
prediction.  Such  is  human  nature,  that  for  an  in- 
stant she  was  disappointed. 

"  Here's  pretty  works,"  she  said,  "  stayin'  out  all 
night,  and  worr^an'  the  purfessor  out  of  his  wits." 

"  I  couldn't  help  it,  Mrs.  Chase." 

"  Why  couldn't  you  help  it,  I'd  like  to  know?" 

"  I'll  tell  you  afterwards.  I  must  go  up  now,  and 
see  the  professor." 

Mrs.  Chase  was  so  curious  that  she  returned,  with 
the  dishes,  to  hear  Harry's  statement. 

"  Good-morning,"  said  Harry,  entering  the  cham- 
ber.    "  I'm  sorry  to  have  been  so  long  away,  but  I 


312  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

couldn't  help  it.     I  hope  you  haven't  worried  much 
about  my  absence." 

"  I  knew  you  would  come  back,  but  Mrs.  Chase 
had  her  doubts,"  said  Professor  Henderson,  pleas- 
antly.    "  Now   tell  me   what  was   it  that  detained 


you 


■?" 


"  A  highwayman,"  said  Harry. 

"A  highwayman  ! "  exclaimed  both,  in  concert. 

"Yes,  I'll  tell  you  all  about  it.  But  first,  I'll  say 
that  he  only  stole  my  money,  and  didn't  suspect  that 
I  had  a  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  of  yours  with  me. 
That's  all  safe.  Here  it  is.  I  think  you  had  better 
take  care  of  that  yourself,  sir,  hereafter." 

The  professor  glanced  significantly  at  Mrs.  Chase, 
as  much  as  to  sa^^,  "  You  see  how  unjust  3'our  sus- 
picions were.     I  am  right,  after  all." 

"  Tell  us  all  about  it,  Harry." 

Our  hero  obeyed  instructions  ;  but  it  is  not  neces- 
sary to  repeat  a  familiar  tale. 

"  Massy  sakes ! "  ejaculated  Betsey  Chase. 
"  Who  ever   heerd   the   like  ? " 

"  I  congratulate  you,  Harry,  on  coming  off  with 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  313 

such  flying  colors.  I  will,  at  my  own  expense,  pro- 
vide you  with  a  new  overcoat,  as  a  reward  for  bring- 
ing home  m}^  money  safe.  You  shall  not  lose  any- 
thing hy  yom-  fidelity." 


314  BOUND   TO  rise;   ORj 


CHAPTER    XXXIV. 

THE   WALTON   HOMESTEAD. 

"We  must  now  transfer  the  scene  to  the  "Walton 
homestead. 

It  looks  very  much  the  same  as  on  the  day  when 
the  reader  was  first  introduced  to  it.  There  is  not  a 
single  article  of  new  furniture,  nor  is  any  of  the 
family  any  better  dressed.  Poverty  reigns  with  un- 
disputed sway.  Mr.  Walton  is  reading  a  borrovv^ed 
newspaper  by  the  light  of  a  candle,  —  for  it  is  even- 
ing, —  while  Mrs.  Walton  is  engaged  in  her  never- 
ending  task  of  mending  old  clothes,  in  the  vain 
endeavor  to  make  them  look  as  woll  as  new.  It  is 
so  seldom  that  any  one  of  the  family  has  new 
clothes,  that  the  occasion  is  one  long  remembered 
and  dated  from. 

"  It  seems  strange  we  don't  hear  from  Harry,"  said 
Mrs.  Walton,  looking  up  from  her  work. 


HABRT  Walton's  motto.  315 

"Wlieii  was  the  last  letter  received?"  asked  Mr. 
Walton,  laying  down  the  paper. 

"  Over  a  week  ago.  He  wrote  that  the  professor 
was  sick,  and  he  was  stopping  at  the  hotel  to  take 
care  of  hira." 

"  I  remember.  What  was  the  name  of  the 
j)lace  ?  " 

"  Pentland." 

"  Perhaps  his  employer  is  recovered,  and  he  is 
going  about  with  him." 

"  Perhaps  so ;  but  I  should  think  he  would  write. 
I  am  afraid  he  is  sick  himself.  He  may  have  caught 
the  same  fever." 

"It  is  possible ;  but  I  tliink  Harry  would  let  us 
know  in  some  way.  At  any  rate,  it  isn't  best  to 
worry  ourselves  about  uncertainties." 

"  I  wonder  if  Harry's  grown  ?  "  said  Tom. 

"  Of  course  he's  grown,"  said  Mary. 

'•  I  wonder  if  he's  grown  as  much  as  I  have,"  said 
Tom,  complaccntl3^ 

"  I  don't  believe  you've  grown  a  bit." 

"•Yes,  I  have;  if  you  don't  believe  it,  see  how 
short  my  pants  are." 


316  BOUND  TO  bise;  or, 

Tom  did,  indeed,  seem  to  be  growing  out  of  his 
pants,  wliich  were  undeniably  too  short  for  him. 

"  You  ought  to  have  some  new  pants,"  said  his 
mother,  sighing;  "but  I  don't  see  where  the  money 
is  to  come  from." 

"  Nor  I,"  said  Mr.  Walton,  soberly.  "  Somehow 
I  don't  seem  to  get  ahead  at  all.  To-morrow  my 
note  for  the  cow  comes  due,  and  I  haven't  but  two 
dollaxs  to  meet  it." 

"How  large  is  the  note?" 

"  With  six  months'  interest,  it  amounts  to  forty- 
one  dollars  and  twenty  cents." 

"  The  cow  isn't  worth  that.  She  doesn't  give  as 
much  milk  as  the  one  we  lost." 

"  That's  true.  It  was  a  hard  bargain,  but  I  could 
do  no  better." 

"  You  say  yo\x  won't  be  able  to  meet  the  payment. 
What  wiU  be  the  consequence  ?  " 

"  I  suppose  Squire  Green  will  take  back  the  cow." 

"Perhaps  you  can  get  another  somewhere  else,  on 
better  terms." 

"  I  am  afraid  my  credit  won't  be   very  good.     I 


HABRT  Walton's  motto.  317 

agreed  to  forfeit  ten  dollars  to  Squire  Green,  if  I 
couldn't  pay  at  the  end  of  six  months." 

"  Will  he  insist  on  that  condition? " 

"  I  am  afraid  he  will.     He  is  a  hard  man." 

"Then,"  said  Mrs.  "Walton,  indignantlj^,  "he 
won't  deserve  to  prosper." 

"  Worldly  prosperity  doesn't  always  go  by  merit. 
Plenty  of  mean  men  prosper." 

Before  Mrs.  Walton  had  time  to  repl}",  a  knock 
was  heard  at  the  door. 

"  Go  to  the  door,  Tom,"  said  his  father. 

Tom  obej^ed,  and  shortly  reappeared,  followed  by 
a  small  man  with  a  thin  figure  and  ^^^:inkled  face, 
whose  deep-set,  crafty  eyes  peered  about  him  curi- 
ously as  he  entered  the  room. 

"  Good-evening,  Squire  Green,"  said  Mr.  Walton, 
politel}^,  guessing  his  errand. 

"  Good-evcnin',  Mrs.  Walton.  The  air's  kinder 
frost3%  I  aint  so  young  as  I  was  once,  and  it 
chills  m}^  blood." 

"  Come  up  to  the  fire,  Squire  Green,"  said  Mrs. 
Walton,  who  wanted  the  old  man  to  be  comfortable, 
though  she  neither  lUied  nor  respected  him. 


318  BOUND  TO  hise;  or, 

The  old  man  sat  down  and  spread  his  hands  before 
the  fire. 

"Anj'-thing  new  stirring,  squii-e?"  asked  Hiram 
"Walton. 

"  Nothin'  that  I  know  on.  I  was  lookin'  over  my 
papers  to-night,  neighbor,  and  I  come  across  that 
note  you  give  for  the  cow.  Forty  dollars  with  in- 
terest, which  makes  the  whole  come  to  forty-one 
dollars  and  twenty  cents.  To-morrow's  the  day  for 
payin'.  I  suppose  ^-ou'Il  be  read}^?"  and  the  old 
man  peered  at  Hiram  "Walton  with  his  little  keen 
eyes. 

"  Now  for  it,"  thought  Hiram.  "  I'm  sorry  to 
say,  Squire  Green,"  he  answered,  that  I  can't  pay 
the  note.  Times  have  been  hard,  and  my  family 
expenses  have  taken  all  I  could  earn." 

The  squire  was  not  much  disappointed,  for  now  he 
was  entitled  to  exact  the  forfeit  of  ten  dollars. 

"  The  contrack  provides  that  if  yon  can't  meet  the 
note  3"0U  shall  pay  ten  dollars,"  he  said.  "  I  'spose 
3'O'a  can  do  that." 

"  Squire  Green,  I  haven't  got  but  two  dollars  laid 
by." 


nAItRY   WALTON^ S  MOTTO.  319 

"  Two  dollars ! "  repeated  the  squire,  frowning. 
"  That  aint  honest.  You  knew  the  note  was  comin* 
due,  and  j'ou'd  oughter  have  provided  ten  dollars,  at 
least." 

"  I've  done  as  much  as  I  could.  I've  wanted  to 
meet  the  note,  but  I  couldn't  make  money,  and  I 
earned  all  I  could." 

"  You  haint  been  equinomical,"  said  the  squire, 
testil3^  "Folks  can't  expect  to  lay  up  money  ef 
they  spend  it  as  fast  as  it  comes  in ; "  and  he 
thumped  on  the  floor  with  his  cane. 

"  I  should  like  to  have  you  tell  us  how  we  can 
economize  any  more  than  we  have,"  said  Mrs. 
"Walton,  with  spirit.  "  Just  look  around  you,  and 
see  if  you  think  we  have  been  extravagant  in  buy- 
ing clothes.  I  am  sure  I  have  to  darn  and  mend 
till  I  am  actually  ashamed." 

"  There's  other  ways  of  wastin'  money,"  said  the 
squire. 

"  If  you  think  we  live  extravagantly^,  come  in  any 
day  to  dinner,  and  we  will  convince  you  to  the  con- 
trary," said  Mrs.  Walton,  warmly. 

"  'Taint  none  of  my  business,  as  long  as  you  pay 


320  BOUND  TO  rise;  OB, 

me  what  you  owe  me,"  said  the  squire.  "  All  I  want 
is  my  money,  and  I'd  orter  have  it." 

"It  doesn't  seem  right  that  my  husband  should 
forfeit  ten  dollars  and  lose  the  cow." 

"That  was  the  contrack,  Mrs.  Walton.  "Your 
husband  greed  to't,  and  —  " 

"  That  doesn't  make  it  just." 

"  'Taint  no  more'n  a  fair  price  for  the  use  of  the 
cow  six  months.  Ef  you'll  pay  the  ten  dollars 
to-morrow,  I'll  let  you  have  the  cow  six  months 
longer  on  the  same  contrack." 

"I  don't  see  any  possibilit}^  of  my  paying  you  the 
money,  Squire  Green.     I  haven't  got  it." 

"  "Why  don't  you  borrcr  somewhere?" 

"  I  might  as  well  owe  you  as  another  man. 
Besides,  I  don't  know  anybody  that  would  lend  me 
the  mone3^" 

"  You  haven't  tried,  have  you?" 

"  No." 

"  Then  you'd  better.  I  thought  I  might  as  well 
come  round  and  remind  you  of  the  note  as  you 
miffht  for2:et  it." 


HAitRT  Walton's  motto.  321 

"  Not  much  clanger,"  said  Hiram  "Walton.  "  I've 
had  it  on  my  mind  ever  since  I  gave  it." 

""Well,  I'll  come  round  to-morrow  night,  and  I 
hope  you'll  he  ready.     Good-night." 

No  yQYj  cordial  good-night  followed  Squire  Green 
as  he  hobbled  out  of  the  cottage,  — for  he  was  lame, 
—  nor  —  I  am  sure  the  reader  will  agree  with  me  — 
did  he  deserve  any.  He  was  a  mean,  miserly,  grasp- 
ing man,  who  had  no  regard  for  the  feelings  or  com- 
fort of  any  one  else  ;  whose  master  jDassion  was  a 
selfish  love  of  accumulating  money.  His  money  did 
him  little  good,  however,  for  he  was  as  mean  with 
himself  as  with  others,  and  grudged  himself  even  the 
necessaries  of  life,  because,  if  purchased,  it  must  be 
at  the  expense  of  his  hoards.  The  time  must  come 
when  he  and  his  money  must  part,  but  he  did  not 
think  of  that. 


322  BOUND    TO  BISE;    OiJ, 


CHAPTER    XXXV. 

Harry's  return  home. 

There  was  a  general  silence  after  Squire  Green's 
departure.  Hiram  Walton  looked  gloomy,  and  the 
rest  of  the  family  less  so. 

"  "What  an  awful  mean  man  the  squire  is ! "  Tom 
broke  out,  indignantly. 

"  You're  right,  for  once,"  said  Mary. 

In  general,  such  remarks  were  rebuked  by  the 
father  or  mother ;  but  the  truth  of  Tom's  observa- 
tion was  so  clear,  that  for  once  he  was  not  reproved. 

"  Squire  Green's  money  does  him  very  little  good," 
said  Hiram  Walton.  "  He  spends  very  little  of  it 
on  himself,  and  it  certainly  doesn't  obtain  him 
respect  in  the  village.  Rich  as  he  is,  and  poor  as 
I  am,  I  would  rather  stand  in  raj  shoes  than  his." 

"  I  should  think  so,"  said  his  wife.  "  Money  isn't 
evervthing." 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  323 

"  No ;  but  it  is  a  good  deal.  I  have  suffered  too 
mucli  from  the  want  of  it,  to  despise  it." 

"  Well,  Hiram,"  said  Mrs.  Walton,  who  felt  that  it 
would  not  do  to  look  too  persistently  upon  the  dark 
side,  "  you  know  that  the  song  saj's,  '  There's  a  good 
time  coming.' " 

"  I've  waited  for  it  a  long  time,  wife,"  said  the 
farmer,  soberly. 

"  Wait  a  little  longer,"  said  Mrs.  Walton,  quoting 
the  refrain  of  the  song. 

He  smiled  faintly. 

"  Yerj'  well,  I'll  wait  a  little  longer  ;  but  if  I  have 
to  wait  too  long,  I  shall  get  discouraged." 

"  Children,  it's  time  to  go  to  bed,"  said  Mrs. 
Walton. 

"  Maj^n't  I  sit  up  a  little  longer?"  pleaded  Mary. 

"  '  Wait  a  little  longer,  mother,' "  said  Tom,  laugh- 
ing, as  he  quoted   his  mother's  words   against  her. 

"  Ten  minutes  only,  then." 

Before  ten  minutes  were  over,  there  was  great  and 
unexpected  joy  in  the  little  house.  Suddenly  the 
outer  door  opened,  and,  without  the  slightest  warn- 
ing to  any  one,  Harry  walked  in.     He  v/as  imme- 


324  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

diately  surrounded  by  the  delighted  family,  and  in 
less  time  than  I  am  taking  to  describe  it  he  had 
shaken  hands  with  his  father,  kissed  his  mother  and 
sister,  and  given  Tom  a  bear-like  hug,  which  nearly 
suffocated  him, 

"Where  did  j^ou  come  from,  Harry?"  asked 
Mary. 

"  Dropped  down  from  the  sky,"  said  Harry, 
laughing. 

"  Has  the  professor  beeii  giving  exhibitions  up 
there?"  asked  Tom. 

"  I've  discharged  the  professor,"  said  Harry, 
gayly      "  I'm   my  own   man   now." 

"  And  3"ou've  come  home  to  staj^,  I  hope,"  said 
his  mother. 

"  Not  long,  mother,"  said  Harry.  "  I  can  only 
stay  a  few  days." 

"  "What  a  bully  overcoat  you've  got  on  ! "  said  Tom. 

"  The  professor  gave  it  to  me." 

"  Hasn't  he  got  one  for  me,  too?  " 

Harr^^  took  off  his  overcoat,  and  Tom  was  struck 
with  fresh  admiration  as  he  surveyed  his  brother's 
inside  suit. 


HARRY  WALTON^S  MOTTO.  325 

'  I  guess  you  spent  all  your  money  on  clothes,"  he 
said. 

"  I  hope  not,"  said  Mr,  "Walton,  whom  experience 
had  made  prudent. 

"  Not  quite  all,"  said  Harrj^,  cheerfully.  "  How 
much  mone}^  do  you  think  I  have  brought  home?" 

"  Ten  dollars,"  said  Tom. 

"  More." 

"  Fifteen." 

"  More." 

"  Twenty,"  said  Mary. 

"  More." 

"  Twenty-five." 

"  I  won't  keep  you  guessing  all  night.  What  do 
you  say  to  fifty  dollars  ?  " 

"  Oh,  what  a  lot  of  money  ! "  said  Mary. 

"  You  have  done  well,  my  son,"  said  Mr.  "Walton. 
"  Tou  must  have  been  very  economical." 

"I  tried  to  he,  father.  But  I  didn't  say  fifty 
dollars  was  all  I  had." 

"You  haven't  got  more?"  said  his  mother,  in- 
credulously. 

"  I've  got  a  hundred  dollars,  mother,"  said  Harry. 


326  BOUND  TO  rise;  or, 

"  Here  are  fifty  dollars  for  yoii,  father.  It'll  pay 
your  note  to  Squire  Green,  and  a  little  over.  Here 
are  thii't}^  dollars,  mother,  of  which  you  must  use  ten 
for  3'ourself,  ten  for  Mary,  and  ten  for  Tom,  I  want 
you  all  to  have  some  new  clothes,  to  remember  me 
by." 

"  But,  Harry,  you  will  have  nothing  left  for  your- 
self." 

"  Yes,  I  shall.  I  have  kept  twenty  dollars,  which 
will  be  enough  till  I  can  earn  some  more." 

"  I  don't  see  how  you  could  save  so  much  monej^, 
Harry,"  said  his  father. 

"  It  was  partly  luck,  father,  and  partly  hard  work. 
I'll  teU  you  all  about  it." 

He  sat  down  before  the  fire,  and  they  listened  to 
his  narrative. 

"  Well,  Harry,"  said  Mr.  Walton,  "  I  am  very  glad 
to  find  that  jon  are  more  fortunate  than  3'our  father. 
I  have  had  a  hard  struggle ;  but  I  will  not  complain 
if  my  childi'en  can  prosper." 

The  cloud  that  Squire  Green  had  brought  with  him 
had  vanished,  and  all  was  sunshine  and  happiness. 

It  was  agreed  that  no  hint   should  be  given  to 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  327 

Squire  Green  that  his  note  was  to  be  paid.  He  did 
not  even  hear  of  Harry's  arrival,  and  was  quite 
unconscious  of  any  change  in  the  circumstances  of 
the  family,  when  he  entered  the  cottage  the  next 
evening. 

"Well,  neighbor,"  he  said,  "I've  brought  along 
that  ere  note.  I  hope  you've  raised  the  money  to 
pay  it." 

"Where  do  you  think  I  could  raise  money, 
squu'e?"  asked  Hiram  Walton. 

"I  thought  mebbe  some  of  the'' neighbors  would 
lend  it  to  j'ou." 

"  Money  isn't  very  plenty  with  any  of  them, 
squii-e,  except  with  you." 

"I  calc'late  better  than  they.  Hev  you  got  the 
ten  dollars  that  j'ou  agreed  to  pay  ef  you  couldn't 
meet  the  note  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Hiram,  "  I  raised  the  ten  dollars." 

"  All  right,"  said  the  squu-e,  briskly,  "  I  thought 
you  could.  As  long  as  you  pay  that,  you  can  keep 
the  cow  six  months  more,  on  a  new  contrack." 

"Don't  you  think,  squii-e,  it's  rather  hard  on  a 


328  BOUND  TO  bise;  or, 

poor  man,  to  make  Mm  forfeit  ten  dollars  because 
lie  can't  meet  Ms  note?" 

"A  contrack's  a  contrack,"  said  the  squire.  "It's 
the  only  way  to  do  business." 

"  I  think  you  are  taking  advantage  of  me,  squire." 

"  No,  I  aint.  You  needn't  hev  come  to  me  ef 
you  didn't  want  to.  I  didn't  ask  you  to  buy  the 
cow.  I'll  trouble  you  for  that  ten  dollars,  neighbor, 
as  I'm  in  a  hm-ry." 

"On  the  whole,  squire,  I  think  I'll  settle  up  the 
note.      That'll  be  cheaper  than  pajdng  the  forfeit." 

"  What !  pay  forty-one  dollars  and  twenty  cents  ! " 
ejaculated  the  squire,  incredulously. 

"  Yes ;  it's  more  than  the  cow's  worth,  but  as  I 
agreed  to  ipay  it  I  suppose  I  must." 

"  I  thought  you  didn't  hev  the  money,"  said  the 
squire,  his  lower  jaw  falling ;  for  he  would  have  pre- 
ferred the  ten  dollars'  forfeit,  and  a  renewal  of  the 
usurious  contract. 

"I  didn't  have  it  when  you  were  in  last  night; 
but  I've  raised  it  since." 

"  You  said  you  couldn't  borrow  it." 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  329 

"  I  didn't  borrow  it." 

"  Then  where  did  it  come  from?" 

"  My  son  Ilarr^^  has  got  home,  squire.  He  has 
supplied  me  with  the  money." 

"You  don't  say!  Where  is  he?  Been  a-doin' 
well,  has  he?" 

«  Harry ! " 

Harry  entered  the  room,  and  nodded  rather  coldly 
to  the  squire,  who  was  disposed  to  patronize  him, 
now  that  he  was  well-dressed,  and  appeared  to  be 
doing  well. 

"  I'm  glad  to  see  ye,  Harry.  So  you've  made 
money,  hev  ye?" 

"  A  little." 

" Hev  3'ou  come  home  to  stay?" 

"  No,  sir  ;  I  shall  only  stay  a  few  days." 

"  What  hev  ye  been  doin'  ?  " 

"  I  am  going  to  be  a  printer." 

"  You  don't  say  !     Is  it  a  good  business?" 

"I  think  it  will  be,"  said  Harry.  "I  can  tell 
better  by  and  by." 

"Well,  I'm  glad  you'i-e  doin'  so  well.     Neighbor 


330  BOUND  TO  bise;  or, 

Walton,  when  you  want  another  cow  I'll  do  as  well 
by  you  as  anybody.  I'll  give  you  credit  for  another 
on  the  same  terms." 

"  If  I  conclude  to  buy  any,  squire,  I  may  come 
round." 

"WeU,  good-night,  all.  Harry,  you  must  come 
round  and  see  me  before  you  go  back." 

Harry  thanked  him,  but  did  not  propose  to  accept 
the  invitation.  He  felt  that  the  squire  was  no  true 
friend,  either  to  himself,  or  to  his  family,  and  he 
should  feel  no  pleasure  in  his  society.  It  was  not  in 
his  nature  to  be  hypocritical,  and  he  expressed  no 
pleasure  at  the  squire's  affability  and  politeness. 


I  have  thus  detailed  a  few  of  Harry's  early  experi- 
ences ;  but  I  am  quite  aware  that  I  have  hardly  ful- 
filled the  promise  of  the  title.  He  has  neither  lived 
long  nor  learned  much  as  yet,  nor  has  he  risen  very 
high  in  the  world.  In  fact,  he  is  still  at  the  bottom 
of  the  ladder.    I  propose,  therefore,  to  devote  another 


HARRY  Walton's  motto.  331 

volume  to  his  later  fortunes,  and  hope,  in  the  end,  to 
satisfy  the  reader.  The  most  that  can  be  said  thus 
far  is,  that  he  has  made  a  fau"  beginning,  and  I  must 
refer  the  reader  who  is  interested  to  know  what  suc- 
cess he  met  with  as  a  printer,  to  the  next  volume, 
which  will  be  entitled 

Up  the  Ladder; 

OK, 

Harry  Walton's  Success. 


